"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages

SunTrust Bank customers are asked to be aware of fake email messages like the one below, which are phishing scams being used by cyber-criminals to steal personal and banking information. The fake email messages claim that SunTrust Bank is performing mandatory account verification. The fake messages then further state that the recipients must click the links within them in order to perform an account verification or else their accounts will be disabled or blocked. But, the links will only take the recipients who have clicked on it, to a phishing website, looking like SunTrust Bank’s website, where they will be asked to sign-in with their account credentials. Once the victims enter their account credentials on the fake website, it will be sent to the cyber-criminals behind the scam, who will use it to gain to access to their victims’ accounts, where they will steal the victims’ money and use their accounts fraudulently.

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SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏ Phishing Email Messages

A Sample of the Phishing SunTrust Bank Email Messages

Date: Sun 20/11/2016 19:06
From: Stephanie Tejeda

Important Service Update

Dear SunTrust Bank Customer:

We are performing mandatory account verification. All account holders are required to help us perform this check by signing in using the link below immediately once this email is received.

To proceed, Log in below

Log in to Online Banking

If this is not done your account may be disabled or blocked.

Please don't reply directly to this automatically-generated e-mail message.

Sincerely,
Online Banking Team

It is important for internet users to remember that they should never click on a link to sign into their online accounts, especially links in email messages. The safest way to sign into their online accounts is to go directly to their online account providers’ websites, by typing the addresses of the websites in their web browsers or using a popular search engine to find the websites.

For example:
SunTrust’s customers should go directly to: “https://www.suntrust.com/” in their web browsers or search for “SunTrust Bank” using a popular search engine. The link in the phishing email message sample above goes to the following fraudulent website: "www.suntrust-up.net."

And, if there is something wrong with their accounts or there is something that they need to do, they will be notified right after signing in.

Recipients of the phishing SunTrust email, who have clicked on the link and have attempted to sign into the phishing website with their accounts’ credentials, should change their passwords and contact SunTrust Bank immediately.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 8)

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April 25, 2018 at 4:44 PM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
an anonymous user from: Newark, New Jersey, United States

Received this:

"SECURITY ALERT

You are receiving this email because we noticed an attempt to sign in to your account from an unrecognised device. Our system has blocked this sign in attempt as a security measure.

In order to safeguard your account information we have temporarily restricted your access to certain features within our online banking system. To restore full access please click the link below to validate your account information.

Please note: Failure to restore full access can lead to permanent suspension of access to our online banking service.

=

Get Started ⇨

=

Best regards,

SunTrust Team"

Delete

April 10, 2018 at 12:05 PM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
info

Here is another scam:

-Original Message-

From: SunTrust <up@tele.fi>

Sent: Tue, Apr 10, 2018 10:52 am

Subject: SunTrust Online Banking.

Action requested: Online banking system update

If you've already responded, you can ignore this notice.

Dear CUSTOMER:

We are pleased to inform you of our new planned online banking system upgrade. We earnestly ask you to start the procedure of confirmation of customers data to authorize an automatic update of your online banking account to the latest version released so that you can continue to enjoy all the benefits of the new version.

Kindly Follow Here to get started.

Sincerely,

Suntrust Online Services

Delete

January 15, 2018 at 7:13 AM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
info

Here is another scam:

- - - -

From: "SunTrust Bank" <mizell.davis@gdc.ga.gov>

Date: January 14, 2018 at 7:37:58 PM CST

Subject: SunTrust Bank Member Notification

SunTrust

Dear Customer,

During our regular scheduled accounts maintenance, your account was updated for new security system.

Verify and update your online access by, Clicking Here to complete.

Thank you for banking with SunTrust.

Sincerely,

SunTrust Customer Care

Delete

September 1, 2017 at 3:55 AM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
info

Here is another scam:

- start of scam -

Re: Important Message - Security Alert

Thu 31/08/2017 14:12

From: Len Holton

Due to security update on our server, some non-active accounts will be shut down and this requires you to validate your account within 24 hours, to keep your account active. kindly click below.

Please take these steps to secure your account: We need to validate and secure your account.

Click here to re-activate your SunTrust account for update.

Visit your page to review your account recovery data on file.

Sincerely,

SunTrust Banks Deposit Products Group

SunTrust Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC.

© 2017 SunTrust Banks, Inc. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801"

Delete

April 23, 2017 at 7:45 PM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
info

Here is another scam:

"- Original message -

From: SunTrust Bank <sun_trust@gic.com>

Date: 4/23/17 7:25 PM (GMT-05:00)

Subject: Suntrust Financial Corporation Alert; PLEASE READ IMMEDIATELY."

Delete

March 1, 2017 at 7:00 AM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
info

Here is another scam:

- Original message -

From: SunTrust Bank z1756729@students.niu.edu

Date: 2/28/17 11:19 AM (GMT-08:00)

Subject: Online Notification

Confirm Transaction

Your online account has been suspended (Reason: the violation of terms of service).

Update and Restore your online account Now

Log On

Thank you for using SunTrust Bank.

Member FDIC © 2017 SunTrust  Bank Financial Corporation. All Rights reserved.

Delete

February 28, 2017 at 8:26 AM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
info

Phishing email received:

"From: SunTrust Bank [mailto:sunupdate7@suddenlink.net]

Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2017 7:37 PM

Subject: Important Message From SunTrust Online Banking.

Dear Valued Customer:

SunTrust Bank have detected irregular activity on your Account on 24, February 2017. For your protection, you must verify this activity before you can continue using your account.

Please login to update your SunTrust Bank Account, just click on the link below.

Sincerely,

SunTrust Online Banking.

(Server ID: SE16B : cec325ee-4df6-42f8-9863-0a47930fef1f )"

Delete

November 27, 2016 at 9:19 AM by
"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages
info

Here is another scam:

"Subject: Validate Your Account

From: SunTrust.com <reception@ssp.local>

Date: Sat, November 26, 2016 5:19 am

Dear Customer Suntrust.

We're sorry - Please confirm your information promptly so that you can continue to enjoy all the benefits of your SunTrust Account.

Validate Your Account Here To Activate Your Account.

Suntrust Fraud Department,

© 2016 SunTrust Banks, Inc.

Equal Housing SunTrust Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC."

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

"SunTrust Banking Alert Important Service Update‏" Phishing Email Messages