JUST RECEIVED A SUSPICIOUS E-MAIL

sheilajim · Post by **sheilajim** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:32 pm

Hi All

Yesterday and today I received an e-mail message purporting to be from The Wachovia Corporation. Here is the message:

We recently determined that different computers have logged onto you Online Banking account, and multiple password failures were present before the logons. We now need you to re-confirm your account information to us.
If this is not completed by October 15, 2007, we will be forced to suspend your account indefinitely, as it may have been used for fraudulent purposes. We thank you for you cooperation in this manner.

To confirm your Online Banking records click on the following link:
https://www.wachovia.com/Identity/Management/

Thank you for your patience in this matter.
Wachovia Corporation Customer Service.

My name was not mentioned in this e-mail, and as far as I know, I have no accounts with the Wachovia Corporation. However I do have other accounts and Wachovia is a large corporation. I did not dare click on anything. I did go online and get the Wachovia Corp.and got a phone number. I told them about the e-mail and asked them what this was all about. The person who answered the phone was as puzzled as I was, took my SS number and told me that she couldn't find any accounts for me with Wachovia.

Has anyone else come across a problem like this.

Regards

Post by **Tracey** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:00 pm

Sheila i "report spam" on anything like that that does manage get through and just dont open it. I get emails like this suposedly from well known high street banks (although they are not from them ) that i dont have accounts with.
If anything is genuine concerning a bank account or the like, unless you have specifically requested otherwise the bank or corporation / company concerned would correspond in writing not by email (wouldnt they ?), purely going on my experience with my bank etc.

Tracey

Just remembered................An on line auction site is very good with the spoof email that gets sent out on their behalf, you can just forward it on to them and they let you know if it was genuine or not

Post by **paddyscar** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:17 pm

Hi Sheila:

You did the right thing by looking online for a Wachovia phone number, rather than contact any of the numbers given in the e-mail. Like Tracey, I hit 'report spam' and delete.

You can always check the validity of these, and the ones your friends send by e-mail, by using your browser. Enter 'online hoax' and you'll find sites that debunk all manner of scare stories and warnings, including the one I got this morning warning me about lead content in lipstick causing cancer. That hoax has been making the rounds since 2003.

Frances

sheilajim · Post by **sheilajim** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:18 pm

Hi Tracy

I did not open the e-mail, but I did look at it. McAfee protects me from the scammers unless I open it up. I also sent an e-mail to the legitimate Wachovia. They responded with an e-mail telling me that the one that I received was fraudulent, etc.
If I had an account with Wachovia, and if I had been new to computers, I might well have opened it up and sent them the information. It did look very official.

You really have to be vigilant when you are using a computer.

Regards

Post by **Tracey** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:28 pm

Just recently my pc wouldnt switch on

it turned out i had two viruses - and i am a stickler for running all the software that keeps your pc clear of such stuff - but i can only put them down to accidently opening those sort of emails (which i am sure a lot of us do when we are half asleep

).
Well you did the right thing, it also must be frustrating for the genuine companies who are the also the victims of these spammers.

Post by **Merlot** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:44 am

Hi,

I've been getting a lot of these recently from well known "High Street Banks" that I don't have an account with. Report and delete, your bank won't ask you for account information by e-mail.
It is worrying that people who are not aware of these hoaxes, may panic and fill in the online forms, giving their details as they do look official. I've also had e-mails offering me employment at an excellent salary, look out for that one too.

Merlot

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:55 am

I’ve never had an email from a financial institution of any description. If I did I would be immediately suspicious. I would probably just delete it no questions asked. There are more civilized and much safer ways of communicating.

Here’s some advice from the Bank of Scotland – the same advice would be given by any financial institution. In particular see the examples.

http://www.bankofscotlandhalifax.co.uk/ ... ?tag=HOME4

Check your own financial institutions web site for their advice.

Alan

Post by **Tracey** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:48 pm

I just recieved this one...............a typical example

Dear customer,

Your access to Online Services has been suspended. Due to a miss-match access code between your Security information. To enable you continue accessing your online account it will only take you few minutes to re-activate your account. Click on the link below and you will be taken straight to where you can activate your account.

www.n*tw***.com/

Important Notice:- You are strictly advised to match your Security information rightly to avoid service suspension.

Thank You.
N**W**t Customer Services.

trish1 · Post by **trish1** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:47 pm

Even if you DO have an account with one of these banks, it is still a fraud. The email address given is known as a phishing email and it actually goes somewhere other than the address it appears to be using. ALL banks will tell you to save their address in your favourites and never access via ANY link. Either key the address directly, or use your favourites.

Trish

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:48 pm

Tracey wrote:I just recieved this one...............a typical example

Dear customer,

Your access to Online Services has been suspended. Due to a miss-match access code between your Security information. To enable you continue accessing your online account it will only take you few minutes to re-activate your account. Click on the link below and you will be taken straight to where you can activate your account.

www.n*tw***.com/

Important Notice:- You are strictly advised to match your Security information rightly to avoid service suspension.

Thank You.
N**W**t Customer Services.

Hi Tracey,

I have been receiving two or three a day from the NatWest (or the Westminster Bank as it was when my Mum worked there about 50 years ago). I send these e-mails off to the deleted items without opening them. My debts are banked elsewhere.

All the best,

Andrew