The email message below, which claims that the recipients' internet banking profiles have been temporarily blocked and require authentication within 72 hours to avoid their bank accounts from being permanently blocked, is a phishing scam. The fake email message was not sent by GTBank, a Nigerian financial institution, but by cyber-criminals. Therefore, the instructions in the fake message should not be followed and the links in it should never be clicked. The links will take potential victims to a fake GTBank website created to trick them into stealing their GTBank's usernames and passwords, and other personal information. It is not recommended for online users to click on a link in an email message to sign into online accounts. They should instead go directly to their online account providers' websites and sign into their accounts from there. This is the best method of preventing phishing scams.
The GTBank Phishing Email Scam
Subject: Your internet banking profile has been temporary blocked
From: GTBank (highered_programs@ceu.hu
Dear Value Customer,
Due to unrecognized sign-in attempt, your internet banking profile has been temporary blocked and requires authentication within 72Hours to avoid your Bank Account from being Permanently BLOCKED.
Activate Here http//account .gtbank.com/unblock_ibank8/login.aspxe
©2016 GTBank PLC. All Rights Reserved.
Thank you
Every month, thousands of these email messages are sent out by scammers to trick their potential victims into stealing their username, password, financial or personal information. Therefore, online users should never click on links in an email message to sign into or log on to any of their online accounts. Instead, GTBank customers should always go directly to www.gtbank.com in their web browsers and sign into their accounts from there.
If there is a problem with their accounts, they will be notified after signing or logging in. GTBank customers who were tricked into clicking the link in the fake email message and who have entered their GTBank usernames and passwords on the bogus website that they were taken to, should change their GTBank passwords and contact GTBank immediately.