Phishing E-Mail Sent to Credit Union Account Holders

A fake e-mail is circulating en-masse that requests Missouri Credit Union members to provide their account information to avail a new security service over the Internet.

The credit union described the scam as 'Internet phishing' where the e-mail sender asks the recipient for personal information while pretending to help out with ways to prevent a security break in.

A Columbia police officer brought the scam to the notice of the credit union at 9.30am on Tuesday, June 5, 2007. Columbia police Sgt. John White, supervisor of the department's Community Services Unit provided the above information.

In the morning of June 5, 2007 a Columbia police officer received e-mail that enquired his bank account and pin numbers. The officer immediately knew it was a fix. So, he reported about it to the union department, which called on the public for bearing caution in handing out such sensitive information.

The problem started when some account holders of the Missouri Credit Union received e-mails asking them to reveal individual banking details. But the union officials said they never sent that e-mail. Missouri Credit Union even told Columbia Police that the website mentioned in the e-mails was not theirs. Like many others, Sgt. John White, Columbia Police Department also said that banks or financial institutions never solicited information via e-mails or over the phone. They already took the information at the beginning when members got registered. So, the credit union was not verifying information that way. Improve Your View published this on June 5, 2007.

Missouri Credit Union said, although the e-mail had the sender's address as mizzoucu.com, it was indeed fraudulent. This e-mail directed the user to another link where he was asked to enter certain personal information otherwise he could experience account fraud. The various information asked were the account holder's card number, the card's expiry date, and his ATM PIN number.

Police say that people should ignore such e-mails and not respond to them. John White suggests that if anyone suspects becoming a victim of an Internet banking scam, the person should first alert his or her bank and then report to the police.

Related article: Phishing With A Redirector Code

» SPAMfighter News - 6/18/2007