Have you received this message lately? Bank warns customers about new, prevalent phishing scam
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Aussies, especially seniors, want to keep their hard-earned money safe in their nests.
With the digitisation of essential services like banking, one could hope that funds will remain accessible and safe at the same time.
However, a bank raised an alarm about a new scheme that could drain wallets and savings.
The National Australia Bank (NAB) issued a warning about a new way for scammers to access vital banking information.
Over the past couple of weeks, NAB customers reportedly received pop-up messages from the bank.
These messages warned customers that their accounts had been compromised and that they should contact a specific phone number.
However, these messages are different compared to the usual text messages.
It could disable phone functions unless the recipient dismisses or saves the message on their phone.
Yet, the NAB also pointed out that these fraudulent pop-up messages do not go directly into a phone's inbox.
According to the NAB, these pop-up messages are commonly used overseas.
These pop-up messages are often used to inform users about emergencies and weather alerts.
However, since the messages could not be saved in an inbox, customers may have a hard time reporting the scam to the authorities.
NAB's Head of Security Culture and Advisory, Laura Hartley, believed that scammers have been using this technology to rip unsuspecting Aussies off.
'These transnational, organised criminals are the same groups linked to drug and arms trafficking,' Ms Hartley stated in an interview.
'The current bank impersonation scam trend is focused on trying to get people to "call NAB"'.
'A few years ago, text messages were much more focused on trying to get people to click a link,' Ms Hartley followed up, recalling how scammers lured individuals to click suspicious links.
Last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported about $11 million in losses to bank impersonation scams.
Scammers have mainly targeted customers over the age of 55.
As this new scheme rises, Ms Hartley shared some tips on how to identify fraudulent pop-ups and how to steer clear of them.
'The most common is a sense of urgency and a number to call, so you act quickly about a problem,' Ms Hartley warned.
'The criminals' goal is to reel you in and then phish you into handing over account logins, PIN codes, or to make payments.'
'If you aren't sure if NAB is contacting you, call the bank using details on the website or the back of your bank card,' Ms Hartley stated.
Here are other SDC tips to keep your bank details and personal information safe from cunning scammers.
The Seniors Discount Club has a Cybersecurity for Aussies over 60 modules available online.
Have you received this pop-up message on your phone lately? Report it to the NAB or the authorities immediately.
Let us all stay safe in this increasingly digital age.
With the digitisation of essential services like banking, one could hope that funds will remain accessible and safe at the same time.
However, a bank raised an alarm about a new scheme that could drain wallets and savings.
The National Australia Bank (NAB) issued a warning about a new way for scammers to access vital banking information.
Over the past couple of weeks, NAB customers reportedly received pop-up messages from the bank.
These messages warned customers that their accounts had been compromised and that they should contact a specific phone number.
The NAB received multiple reports about this message popping up on customers' phones. Image Credit: NAB
However, these messages are different compared to the usual text messages.
It could disable phone functions unless the recipient dismisses or saves the message on their phone.
Yet, the NAB also pointed out that these fraudulent pop-up messages do not go directly into a phone's inbox.
According to the NAB, these pop-up messages are commonly used overseas.
These pop-up messages are often used to inform users about emergencies and weather alerts.
However, since the messages could not be saved in an inbox, customers may have a hard time reporting the scam to the authorities.
NAB's Head of Security Culture and Advisory, Laura Hartley, believed that scammers have been using this technology to rip unsuspecting Aussies off.
'These transnational, organised criminals are the same groups linked to drug and arms trafficking,' Ms Hartley stated in an interview.
'The current bank impersonation scam trend is focused on trying to get people to "call NAB"'.
'A few years ago, text messages were much more focused on trying to get people to click a link,' Ms Hartley followed up, recalling how scammers lured individuals to click suspicious links.
Last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported about $11 million in losses to bank impersonation scams.
Scammers have mainly targeted customers over the age of 55.
As this new scheme rises, Ms Hartley shared some tips on how to identify fraudulent pop-ups and how to steer clear of them.
'The most common is a sense of urgency and a number to call, so you act quickly about a problem,' Ms Hartley warned.
'The criminals' goal is to reel you in and then phish you into handing over account logins, PIN codes, or to make payments.'
'If you aren't sure if NAB is contacting you, call the bank using details on the website or the back of your bank card,' Ms Hartley stated.
Here are other SDC tips to keep your bank details and personal information safe from cunning scammers.
The Seniors Discount Club has a Cybersecurity for Aussies over 60 modules available online.
Let us all stay safe in this increasingly digital age.
