How the scam works:
Did you receive an email from your bank asking you to update a digital access agreement? The message scammers send could claim to be from any financial institution, whether that's Scotiabank, CIBC, Royal Bank, TD Bank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan, Capital One, or Bancorp. They just change the logo at the top of the email.
The email looks like this – we received this particular one from Scotiabank:
Hi [your email address],In the near future, you will be presented with the Digital Access Agreement..
This Agreement represents the updated terms and conditions for using Scotia Online Banking and Mobile Banking.
Online:
To continue using Scotia OnLine and Mobile Banking, you will need to agree to the Digital Access Agreement.
Hit Update to Digital Access Agreement
Thank you for your understanding and please look for the BONUS schedule – Digital Access Agreement in the coming weeks.
If you click the link, it will take you to a website with your bank's logo and ask you to login by entering your account number and password. However, what began as a simple upgrade could result in a downgrade of your finances. Simply put, the website is not real, and the scam artists now have your banking information.
How to avoid:
Ignore these messages, especially if they refer to you as "Dear Customer" instead of addressing you by your full name. Or, in this case, it simply features your email address, which could be easily found online.
Banks never email clients about any sensitive information unless the client has signed up for it. Banks especially don't email clients when they're upgrading their system. Beware, scammers use any bank's name!
How to report:
Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
Report Scammers To The FTC Here
How to protect yourself more:
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.
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