Phishing and Vishing Identity Theft Scams
The Wachovia Bank Email Scam
Redirects to spoofed (Fake) website
You may have received an email like the one below that looks very authentic,
like it came from Wachovia Bank, or a phone call about the same subject. It is an attempt
you get you to enter confidential information (typically a social security
number, name, address, bank account information, etc., to allow the scammers to
steal your identity and open credit cards in your name.
This email was not sent by Wachovia Bank; Wachovia Bank is a victim as well.
This is referred to as "phishing" (when by email) or "vishing" (when by
telephone). If you receive
an email similar to the one below, DO NOT click on the link, and do not enter
any information on the forms there.
The website that the link leads to is a spoof; a fake website, not created by
Wachovia Bank. It goes to yyy, not Wachovia Bank! When you enter the information they ask for, you will simply be
handing the thieves the keys to your bank accounts. That is how spoofing, phishing
and vishing works.
Remember, no reputable business would send you
an email or a phone call requesting your personal account information. Any such email you
receive asking for this information should be considered phony and brought to
the attention of the business being 'phished'.
Anytime you need to go to a website for your bank, credit card companies or
other personal, financial or confidential information; do not follow a link in
an email; just type their address in your browser directly (such as
www.Wachovia Bank.com )
Below are actual phishing emails that started circulating in early 2008.
We have put a warning over the links to the phisher's website.
Hi, I recevied an e-mail from "Wachovia Connection
Bank" (this is the 2nd one), they both request that I click on a link &
provide info on my account because "as part of our security measures, we
regularly screen activity in the Wachovia Connection bank system. We
recently contacted you after noticing an issue on your account (I don't have
any kind of account with Wachovia), We requested information from you...."
It looks phishy! I never opened or responded to the first e-mail because I
don't have an account with them, now they send another... there is also a
link provided to provide info and access your account. the link is
https://wc.wachovia.com/ I felt I needed to report this to someone
First Wachovia Phishing Example:
Dear Wachovia Bank customer,
We would like to inform you that we are currently
carrying out scheduled maintenance.
In order to guarantee the high level of security to
our business customers, we require you to complete “Wachovia Commercial
Online Form”.
Please complete Wachovia Commercial Online Form
using the link below:
http://commercial.wachovia.com/Online/Financial/Business/Service?action=form_id4609553963213925171059016994202142132134998111338194683643341&session=131552308320447
This is auto-generated email, please do not respond
to this email.
Second Wachovia Phishing Example:
Subject: Notification of Personal Information Error
Date: 3/20/2008 5:28:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
From:
alerts@alerts.wachovia.com
Reply To: mlmzz55@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)
Internet Address Card Attached
This e-mail was sent from: alerts@alerts.wachovia.com
Dear Wachovia Bank customer,
This e-mail was sent to you because we have detected
an error in your
billing information on file with Online Banking
during our regular
schedule account maintenance and verification. This
might be due to
either following reasons:
1. A recent change in your personal information
(i.e. change of
address).
2. Submitting invalid information during the initial
sign up process.
3. An inability to accurately verify your selected
option of payment
due an internal error with our processors.
Click the link below and confirm your Online Banking
account
information, otherwise your Credit / Debit Card
access will become
restricted:
http://wachovia-onlineid.gotdns.com
Sincerely,
David H. Stone
Director of Customer Advocacy
Wachovia Corporation - eCommerce Division
Contact Us
Online Services
(800) 950-2296
24 hours a day
seven days a week.
electronic.services@wachovia.com
(c)2005 Wachovia. Wachovia Corporation, 301 South
College Street,
Suite
4000, One Wachovia Center, Charlotte, NC
28288-0013. All Rights
Reserved.
Wachovia Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
For more information about phishing, see
this page.
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