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Scammers usually approach you in two steps: they first send you a phishing message to steal your personal bank codes. This is how they try to gain access to your account. Then they call you. They then pretend to be a bank employee and ask you to transfer money to a supposedly new, safe account.
Safe deposit box fraud starts with a phishing message. This can be done via e-mail, SMS, Whatsapp, social media, … The message contains a link to a fake website, where fraudsters ask for a number of details, such as your name, telephone number, card number and personal bank codes. If you fill in those things, you open your bank account for the scammers. From then on they can make fraudulent transactions.
After this, the scammers call you, "disguised" as a bank employee. They tell you that fraud has been committed with your account and ask you to transfer your money to a so-called 'safe' account just to be on the safe side. Of course that account does not exist. If you transfer the money, it will end up in the account of a money mule.
After this step, the money is transferred to the fraudsters' account. The fraudsters will try to gain your trust in all sorts of ways. How? For example, they copy the bank's telephone number, they refer to your account balance or to a transaction they carried out themselves. How? Thanks to the personal information and codes they got their hands on from the previous phishing message they sent you.
"Your bank will never ask you to provide your personal bank codes or to transfer money to another account via telephone, email, SMS or social media."
Not always. Another option is that you are immediately called by 'your bank employee' (i.e. without first receiving a phishing message).This person immediately asks for your personal bank codes over the telephone. That is also a form of phishing. If you pass on your codes, you leave your account wide open to the fraudsters.
Remember this: the bank will never ask you to provide your personal bank codes or to transfer money to another account via telephone, email, SMS or social media.
When you get a question like that, it should ring a bell: you're being lured into a trap.
Don't just believe every email or message! After all, scammers can easily add a logo of your bank or forge the name of the sender.
Never give your personal bank codes via e-mail, SMS, social media or telephone. Your codes for digital banking are as secret as the code of your bank card.
Never go to your bank's payment site or mobile app via a link. Always type the address of your bank website in your browser yourself. You can also save the address in your browser's favorites list. Or open your bank's mobile app on your smartphone yourself.
Did you receive a strange message or a strange call and in doubt about its authenticity? Then be on the safe side and don't go into this. Do you want more info? Then call your bank. Scammers cannot intercept that call.
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