Find out the most common cases of internet fraud and how to stay safe:
Fraud attempts luring into various government benefits
Ongoing attempts by fraudsters contacting unsuspicious citizens over the phone from unidentified numbers, or via emails/sms concerning various government benefits such as :the Power Pass, or the Fuel Pass, or the Tax Lotery or possible Tax Returns. They pose as accountants or agents of Tax Authorities, from gov.gr, from Public Utility Corporations etc, asking for various data related to bank accounts. You should be very cautious and never reveal your credentials in e-Banking/Eurobank Mobile App, or any credit card information, or even One-Time Passwords (OTP).
Fraudulent emails and SMS text messages
Scammers send fraudulent emails and SMS text messages pretending that the sender is the receiver’s bank. These messages usually claim that “there was some suspicious activity” on the receiver’s account or card, or that the receiver’s account or card “has been blocked or deactivated”.
They provide a link and urge the recipients to immediately click on the link and follow the instructions to settle their issue.
However, this link leads to a fraudulent website, which is identical to the website of the recipient’s bank. Recipients fail to realise that and they fill in their e-Banking credentials, their credit card details, but also the One-Time Passcode (OTP) they instantly receive and which is required to approve a transaction.
This practice is called phishing.
How to stay safe:
- You must be extra cautious with messages claiming there are issues with your accounts, cards or e-Banking.
- If you suspect that there is an issue with your accounts or cards, log in directly to the e-Banking or the Eurobank Mobile App without clicking on any links.
- Notice whether this is a personalised message or it contains mistakes and inaccuracies. Fraudulent messages are sent in bulk and do not state the client’s name nor the account that has the issue. Also, they usually contain spelling or grammar errors. All these details indicate that this is a scam.
- Carefully check the description of the messages (SMS, Viber) you receive along with the One-Time Passcode (OTP) for approving transactions.
- Activate the Notifications to get updated on any activity on your products. This way, once a transaction is made in your account or card, you receive a push notification, an email, a Viber text or an SMS on your mobile.
Fraud through classifieds for buying or selling products
Scammers call pretending to be interested in buying a product listed on a classified post. They ask the seller to provide their card details or e-Banking credentials or One-Time Passcode (OTP) received at that time, so they can supposedly make a deposit.
Moreover, the scammers may persuade the seller that they have:
- Fully paid for the product, presenting a fake cash transfer receipt.
- Accidentally deposited more money and ask the seller to refund the excess amount. They usually claim to have “accidentally entered” an extra “0” (for example, €8,000 instead of €800) and send a fake deposit receipt to prove their claim and persuade the seller to refund the excess amount.
In other cases, scammers post fake online classifieds to supposedly sell products. They deceive the buyer, who makes the payment but never receives the product.
How to stay safe:
- For cash deposits, you only need to provide your account’s IBAN. Never disclose your passcodes, credentials or personal and financial details, even when the other party claims that they need them to make a deposit.
- Check the exact amount deposited by the buyer into your account through e-Banking. Do not rely solely on any deposit receipts presented by the buyer.
Money muling scams
Scammers ask a person to act as an intermediary in transferring money and offer a percentage of such transfer as a reward.
They usually only ask for the IBAN of an account to make the deposit. Then, they ask the victim to either give them the money in cash, by withdrawing the amount from an ATM or at a branch, or transfer the amount to a third-party account.
This practice is called money muling.
How to stay safe:
Never accept to act as a middleman in transferring money between other persons, usually unknown to you. You may suffer considerable harm, as this way you are involved in illegal activity, whether you are aware of it or not.
Find out everything you need to know about money muling.
Computer repair scam
Scammers call, usually from abroad, and pretend to be techs working for large IT companies. Often, the discussion is in English. They claim that the receiver’s computer or mobile device has been infected by malware and they want to fix the problem.
To this end, they ask to install remote access software. Through this software, scammers gain full access to the recipient’s electronic devices.
Then, scammers ask for the recipient’s e-Banking credentials (Username and Password) and the One-Time Passcode (OTP) the recipient receives on their mobile phone (SMS, Viber). This is how they gain access to the victim’s accounts and transfer money to accounts that belong to themselves or to their accomplices.
How to stay safe:
Do not entrust your computer to strangers:
- If someone calls you from an unknown number, especially from abroad, and claims to be from any IT company, without you having first reported a problem, then hang up.
- Do not install remote access software, when an unknown person suggests you should.
Investment scams
Scammers contact unsuspecting citizens through emails, online ads or phone calls. They pretend to work for large investment firms abroad. They promise high returns by opening an account on online investment platforms.
However, these platforms are fake. To add credibility to their words, they are usually fluent in Greek.
Most of the victims mention that at first their investments indeed achieved high returns in these fake investment platforms. So, they invested more money. However, when they asked to receive their profit, they discovered they had been scammed.
How to stay safe:
- Be extra careful and cautious when unknown persons contact you on the phone.
- Be extra cautious with online ads and social media posts that promise high returns.
- Before opening an account with an online investment platform, check whether the platform is licensed from a real and competent supervisory authority.
Read the detailed warning issued by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission to investors about investment risks (internet fraud).
Fraudulent payment orders through email
Scammers gain unauthorised access to emails between professionals or retailers and businesses, who carry out transactions as suppliers or clients.
They intercept this online communication and urge the parties to deposit money in fraudulent bank accounts, different to the ones originally agreed.
How to stay safe:
Be extra careful when receiving payment requests through email:
- Verify that the payment request is valid.
- Before paying, cross-check the bank account against the account of the supplier or client you are doing business with.
Important notification
We remind you that Eurobank will never send you a message (e.g. email, SMS):
- Asking you to disclose your personal data, such as account and card details, ATM PIN and credentials for e-Banking, Eurobank Mobile App or EuroPhone Banking.
- Notifying you that your account or card has been locked or presents other issue and lead you to fill in your e-Banking credentials, card details or One-Time Passcode (OTP) to resolve the alleged issue.
Especially with IRIS payments, you may receive an SMS from a user who has sent you money through the service. This message will contain a Eurobank link that will lead you to a safe page, where you will be asked to fill in just your IBAN and full name to receive the money.
What to do if you receive a strange message
Call EuroPhone Banking on +302109555000 immediately, 24/7, if you:
- Received any message requesting your personal data. Ignored such a message.
- Have doubts about the authenticity of a message.
Protecting your credentials, passcodes and personal data
Never disclose to anyone and for no reason:
- Your e-Banking, Eurobank Mobile App or other online banking credentials.
- One-Time Passcodes (OTP) you receive on your phone (SMS, Viber).
- Your card details.
- Your personal and financial details.
If you have been scammed
If you are the victim of an online scam or have identified transactions which you did not make or approve:
- Notify the police immediately.
- Call EuroPhone Banking immediately: +30 2109555000
Electronic message security certification
In most emails we send you, you can see the security certification area at the start of the message.
The purpose of this is to certify the authenticity of the email so that Eurobank can protect you from phishing attempts.
Always check that your account details appear correctly in this area.
Protecting your transactions
At Eurobank we take all possible measures to safeguard the safety of your data when you carry out transactions through our systems.
We apply modern security protocols and use cutting-edge technology to safeguard any transactions you carry out online, over the phone or with your cards.