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Bank of America Alert Phishing Scam
vanity | 4-26-14 | self

Posted on 04/26/2014 2:30:37 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic

I received the following email from Bank of America this afternoon:

Dear valued customer,

During our usual security enhancement protocol, we observed multiple login attempt error while login in to your online banking account. We have believed that someone other than you is trying to access your account for security reasons, we have temporarily suspend your account and your access to online banking and will be restricted if you fail to update.

Click here to start the confirmation process

Please Note: Always look for your Security Image and Phrase® before entering your Password.

Remember, Bank of America is committed to your security and protection. To find out more, take a look at our Information Security section under Privacy and Security on the Web site.

Bank of America, Member FDIC. © 2014 Bank of America Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: creditcard; fraud; phishing; scam
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Bank of America is issuing me a new credit card and new security questions, passwords, and IDs to protect my accounts. If I had read the message carefully, I would have noticed the poor English, but the email was so official looking that I did not notice.

I now have to register this attempt with the Credit Bureaus. I've spent all afternoon on this, and I'm furious. After all that, it turned out that my login was not blocked after all, but I've changed all of the access questions.

Bank of America says to NEVER click on a link in an email from them. If they want to warm (or any other customer) of a security breach, they will ask the customer to call them -- not to click on a link in the email.

I'm usually pretty cagy about these things, but they caught me off guard this afternoon and cost me a lot of time straightening it out. The minute I furnished them with my father's middle name, they had the last 4 numbers of my CC, my Online ID, my Site Key, etc. Their logos were all correct, etc. It was a perfect duplicate of the official sign in page.

This is just a warning to other FReepers that this scam is going around.

1 posted on 04/26/2014 2:30:37 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic

BTTT—thanks for sharing your experience.


2 posted on 04/26/2014 2:32:46 PM PDT by exit82 ("The Taliban is on the inside of the building" E. Nordstrom 10-10-12)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Same happened to me 3 weeks ago —changed my card, also.


3 posted on 04/26/2014 2:35:14 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: afraidfortherepublic

If your bank thinks there is a problem with your account, they will call you, not send a general email.

I used to get these kinds of emails from Sunbelt Bank and some similar banks. I have never had an account with a Sunbelt Bank, so that was my first clue.

NEVER click on an email link to a financial institution. If you have an account and are concerned, start with the ‘real’ link in your bookmark/favorites.

Repeat: NEVER click on an email link to a financial institution.


4 posted on 04/26/2014 2:37:10 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Note the poor English in their boiler plate message.


5 posted on 04/26/2014 2:38:02 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I sometimes get an similar kind of account warning email from paypai.com.

Notice that it is paypa’i’ not paypa’L’. In some fonts the letter I resembles the letter L.

Phishing emails are tricky.


6 posted on 04/26/2014 2:39:15 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: afraidfortherepublic

If you signed your account over to Prince Obongobongo at The White Hut, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, all is well. You will be well taken care of.


7 posted on 04/26/2014 2:40:03 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: gaijin

I had one of these, and I played their game.. and put in goofy names, crazy info, ss number was all 1;s I knew it was a farce when they swallowed the info I put in... I never got as far as my pass word code.. as I knew it was not valid


8 posted on 04/26/2014 2:40:08 PM PDT by JoanneSD
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Call me old-fashioned, but there is absolutely NO way I’ll ever do any banking online, let alone store any personal or financial data on any home computer - let alone cell phone.


9 posted on 04/26/2014 2:42:02 PM PDT by ErnBatavia (The 0baMao Experiment: Abject Failure)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

It’s been happening more frequently lately. I’ve gotten Bank of America phishing emails (I closed my account there over a year ago) as well as fake emails from Amazon.com (never had an account with them) and American Express (haven’t been with them in over 20 years). I always block the sender then delete the email.

If I get a notification from any business that I’m active with I make sure to contact them directly at a known-good phone number and work out any issues that way.

Sorry to hear you got caught off guard and had to spend the time, effort and hassle rectifying your situation. And thank you for putting out a warning to other FReepers.


10 posted on 04/26/2014 2:42:05 PM PDT by Two Kids' Dad (((( ))))
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Yeah, I’ve been getting about three collect calls a week on my cell phone from someone in jail. They want me to accept the charges. Sure, I’ll do that.


11 posted on 04/26/2014 2:42:35 PM PDT by raybbr (Obamacare needs a death panel.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

That email reads like someone in Kazachestan used Google translate to imitate BofA. Be careful.


12 posted on 04/26/2014 2:44:09 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I went through a spell last year where my password was corrupted a number of times over several months. I believe BofA was one of the accounts involved. Others certainly were. If you don’t enter your password properly after the third attempt they demand you change your password.

That became a real pain in the hibiscus.

Thankfully it dissipated over time, and I haven’t had a problem since late last year.

Someone was trying to hack my account. You can also harass someone by doing this is you have their account name.


13 posted on 04/26/2014 2:45:15 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Immigration Reform is job NONE. It isn't even the leading issue with Hipanics. Enforce our laws.)
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To: TomGuy
Wells Fargo always calls me when any "strange" expenditure shows on my account, (even when it's me doing it).

FMCDH(BITS)

14 posted on 04/26/2014 2:54:04 PM PDT by nothingnew (I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

15 posted on 04/26/2014 2:54:54 PM PDT by Repeal The 17th (We have met the enemy and he is us.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
We have believed that someone other than you is trying to access your account for security reasons, we have temporarily suspend your account and your access to online banking and will be restricted if you fail to update.

A strange tense and a run-on sentence. I detect a Nigerian accent. The lads of Lagos need to brush up on their English.

16 posted on 04/26/2014 2:58:38 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: Repeal The 17th

I’d be real careful with that. Karma is a bitch.

I think the OP did us a service with sharing this.


17 posted on 04/26/2014 2:59:32 PM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever!)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I can help.

I have a credit repair/security service.

Please email me your account number and pin. I’ll get all your funds back.

Also, today only, I’m selling carbon credits, 1/2 off. No checks.


18 posted on 04/26/2014 3:05:59 PM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: TomGuy
If your bank thinks there is a problem with your account, they will call you, not send a general email.

I was purchasing something from a site overseas and Chase sent me a lot of emails within seconds of my click to buy.

What is interesting, before my purchase ever went through, two different companies were charging very similar amounts on my card, but not the company that I was trying to use. The scam companies beat the legitimate one.

Anyway, they do send emails.

19 posted on 04/26/2014 3:11:07 PM PDT by Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage (Not my circus, not my monkeys.)
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To: Drango

Can I buy some carbon credits using bitcoins?


20 posted on 04/26/2014 3:17:31 PM PDT by Ed Condon (subliminal messages here in invisible ink)
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