The Civil Guard of Almeria warns of a rise in bank data theft scams

The Civil Guard discovered several scams in Almeria, where cybercriminals pose as bank employees to contact victims. They are told that their bank account has been "hacked" and that they have their passwords to their digital banking accounts. These methods are known as "spoofing" or "smishing", and they urge citizens to be vigilant to avoid becoming victims.

The "modus operandi" is a telephone call or text message that the user receives on his mobile phone. It is a scam that impersonates his bank and informs them that their account has been closed for security reasons or that an unauthorised device has accessed their online banking.

The victim is instructed by the interlocutor to verify the access immediately. Clicking on the link will take you to a page which simulates online banking. Here you'll be asked for your passwords, keys and verification codes. Cybercriminals can take control of your bank account by clicking on the link. They can perform different operations such as emptying the accounts, fraudulent operations, credit requests, and so forth.

The Civil Guard suggests that you delete or delete any SMS or phone calls with these characteristics and that the link not be followed. To verify the authenticity of messages asking for personal or bank information, it is best to not trust them. It is crucial to notify the entity about the impersonation.

Banks do not request personal information from customers via SMS, phone or email. It is important to notify the bank and file a complaint if you discover that you have been a victim of a fraud.

The Almeria Civil Guard Headquarters implemented the arroba team in October 2021. These functional teams are responsible for strengthening the response to cybercrime, especially in the face online fraud. They also support the territorial units that are oriented towards citizens and carry out the first treatment of this crime.