Beware the “Failed Bank” Email Scam
Scammers are trying to take advantage of the rash of bank failures — more than 100 so far this year — by sending out fraudulent emails that appear to come from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
On its website this week, the FDIC warned of a possible phishing scam — an attempt to collect personal information, which is then used to gain access to consumer’s accounts or to conduct identity theft.
The subject line of the e-mail states: “check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage.” The e-mail tells recipients that, “You have received this message because you are a holder of a FDIC-insured bank account. Recently FDIC has officially named the bank you have opened your account with as a failed bank, thus, taking control of its assets.”
The e-mail then asks recipients to “visit the official FDIC website and perform the following steps to check your Deposit Insurance Coverage” — and a fraudulent link is provided. It then instructs recipients to “download and open your personal FDIC Insurance File to check your Deposit Insurance Coverage.”
The FDIC says the email is an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, which may be used to steal the recipient’s identity or gain unauthorized access to online accounts. The FDIC does not send unsolicited e-mails to consumers — so if you see it, delete it!
Related Posts
