Targobank customers should best move an email to the spam folder (symbol image). © Olga Rolencino/Westend61/Imago
Warning: Phishing attempts continue to increase and become more sophisticated. The focus is currently on an email in the name of Targobank.
Dortmund – According to the consumer advice center, a dangerous email is currently in circulation (October 17th). It has the subject “Important phone number update required” and entices recipients to update their phone number. However, affected bank customers should definitely refrain from doing this (read more about warnings on RUHR24).
Big bank warning: Millions are threatened with an empty account after just a few clicks
The email, which purports to come from Targobank, asks recipients to update their phone number. Supposedly this process should only take “a few minutes” and protect the account from “unauthorized access” (read more about finance on RUHR24).
This will be followed by a linked button that says “Update phone number now”. However, anyone who follows the link runs the risk of putting their personal data directly into the hands of criminals. With the access data such as IBAN, TAN and PIN fished out, the fraudsters can then empty their victims’ accounts.
Big bank warning: Clicking on the link in the phishing email puts customers at risk
A wrong click puts bank customers at risk because in most cases they end up on a website that has been manipulated by cyber criminals. In order to permanently protect themselves from phishing attacks, consumers should definitely take some basic precautionary measures. First of all, you need to pay attention to the sender address, the type of salutation and possible spelling errors in the email.
Bank customers can tell that this message is a fake based on the missing logo, explains the consumer advice center.
The relevant phishing email in the name of Targobank. © Consumer advice center
Big bank warning: put phishing email in the name of Targobank in the spam folder
Once Targobank customers identify the email as fraudulent, they should do the following: Do not follow any links and instead forward the message to [email protected]. The bank then advises that you delete the message immediately.
The consumer advice center, however, recommends moving the email to the spam folder if left unanswered. This way, if consumers mark the message as spam, they can support their email service by improving the filters. In the future, similar messages could automatically end up in the junk folder.
