Phishers Lure Victims Using RBI E-Mail Id

India's top bank, RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has recently known that one fake electronic mail is circulating, while using its name to summon clients for making the details of personal bank accounts up-to-date so that Internet phishing can be avoided, reported Moneycontrol.com on 5th April, 2011.

Actually RBI came to know of the fraud when numerous people reported that they were recipients of an e-mail, which apparently arrived from update@rbi.org.in, displaying the caption "Important notice to all bank customers in India." Addressing the accountholder, the e-mail told the recipient that there was one novel security update the RBI had launched for preventing Internet phishing inside the country. Hence, the user required downloading a given attachment on which he should choose his bank and then make his account up-to-date for preventing phishing, the message added.

But once the attachment is opened, it diverts the user onto a different web-page, which resembles the formal site of the RBI, a bank official stated, adding that the user is subsequently suggested to make his debit/credit card secure via choosing the bank he operated followed with typing in his information accurately. Times of India (TOI) reported this on April 8, 2011.

Furthermore, the e-mail cautions that if the recipient doesn't enter his details accurately then he can face a permanent deferral of his account. It (the e-mail) then concludes that the RBI regrets any inconvenience the recipient may encounter due to this action.

But, it isn't new for RBI to come under phishers' attack. During February 2011, according to TOI, RBI stated that even after its alerts, numerous members of the public had fallen prey when they followed such fraudulent phishing e-mails and thereby lost large sums.

Meanwhile, according to the RBI, it hasn't dispatched the fake e-mail in question. Besides, the Bank alternatively, any other financial institution won't ever dispatch communication requesting recipients to provide their bank account information for fulfilling any purpose. Eventually, urging the public for shunning answering such e-mails, the RBI advised that they mustn't share with anyone the details of personal bank accounts, whatever be the reason. Moneycontrol.com published this.

Related article: Phishers Expand Their Sphere of Attacks

» SPAMfighter News - 4/16/2011