Police issue warning to public regarding counterfeit banking emails

Cybercriminals have been sending out phishing emails that claim to be from many different banking organizations. By impersonating different banks, the cybercriminals hope to trick even more people into clicking on malicious links. The emails all have different images and text, depending on which bank the cybercriminals are impersonating. However, all the emails claim that you need to take urgent action and download an attachment.

No matter which email you receive, there will be a link to an attachment. If you click the link, the attachment will download and display a clickable image of a PDF logo. If you click the image, malware will begin installing on your device. This malware can then gather personal data and financial information and even steal email addresses from your email inbox. The malware can then send similar phishing emails to all of your email contacts!

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to a malware scam:

• Scammers rely on creating a sense of urgency to trick you into clicking on links. If you receive an unexpected email, always stop and think before you click.
• In this situation, the email claims to be from your bank. Instead of clicking on a link in the email, you should contact your bank directly to verify if action is needed.
• Be sure to follow your organization's instructions regarding security updates and antivirus software. By keeping your software up to date, you can help protect your device from a malware infection.

·        Stop, look, and think. Don’t be fooled by the scammers.