FDIC Phishing Scam Strikes More Banks
Iowa Bank Customers Hit in Latest FlurryResidents in Palo Alto County, IA area have been warned by their banks of the email scam. The FDIC also on Thursday sent out an alert about the scam to all security officers.
The e-mail claims that the financial institution is on a list of banks that are "failing" and that the FDIC is taking control of that institution's assets. The e-mail then instructs the recipient to click on a link that supposedly takes the recipient to the FDIC website, when in reality the website is actually fake. When recipients click on the fake FDIC website, they are prompted to enter sensitive information such as account numbers for checking and savings accounts.
This latest alert comes after a similar phishing attack was reported against banking customers in late October, asking recipients to check the amount of insurance their bank had with the FDIC's Deposit Insurance Fund.
"The criminals, knowing that people trust the FDIC name, have duplicated the official logo and seal in fraudulent letters, forms, certificates and other correspondence," according to the FDIC alert. "In some cases, recipients were asked to complete fraudulent forms and return them by fax or e-mail. In other cases, recipients were asked to remit funds via check or wire transfer service."
The FDIC says institutions are encouraged to inform customers that fraud artists may use the names of the FDIC and other government agencies and to take appropriate precautions.