Here is another good example of a phishing email that is presently being circulated. It makes for compelling reading, but it is a scam. Phishing emails, by which scammers and identity thieves attempt to lure you into either clicking on links contained within the email which will download malware or providing personal information that will be used to make you a victim of identity theft, are nothing new. They are a staple of identity thieves and scammers and with good reason because they work. As always, they lure you by making it appear that there is an emergency that requires your immediate attention or else dire consequences will occur. Here is a copy of a new phishing email that appears to come from Bank of America that is presently circulating. This particular one came with particularly good looking graphics and a Bank of America logo, but it is a scam. DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK.
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| Online Banking Alert |
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| Unauthorized Sign-In |
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| As part of our security measures, during our system regularly scheduled account maintenance and verification procedures, we have detected a slight error in your online banking information. Our system requires account verification for more security and protection to your account.
To confirm this verification log into Online Banking and update your information. |
| Once you have verified your records, your Account Services will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. |
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Security Checkpoint: This email includes a Security Checkpoint. The information in this sectionnlets you know this is an authentic communication from Bank of America. |
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Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender
© 2016 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. |
TIPS
An indication that this is a phishing email is that the email address from which it was sent had nothing to do with Bank of America, but most likely was from a computer that was part of a botnet of computers hacked into and controlled remotely by the scammer. In addition, legitimate emails from your bank would include the last four digits of your account. This email does not use the customer’s name or account number anywhere in the email. As with all phishing emails, two things can happen if you click on the links provided. Either you will be sent to a legitimate looking, but phony webpage where you will be prompted to input personal information that will be used to make you a victim of identity theft or, even worse, merely by clicking on the link, you will download keystroke logging malware that will steal all of your personal information from your computer and use it to make you a victim of identity theft. If you receive an email like this and think it may possibly be legitimate, merely call your bank at a telephone number that you know is accurate and you will be able to confirm that it is a scam.
