Capital One customers who have received email or SMS text messages like the one below, which claim that several unusual login attempts on their accounts were detected should delete the messages. This is because the messages are being sent by cybercriminals to frighten and trick potential victims into clicking on the links in them, which go to phishing websites that steal online account credentials.
Sample "Capital One Protect Your Account Now" Phishing Scam
From: Capital - One <activity.alert001-06@email.arizona.edu>
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2017 10:46 AM
To: Capital - One
Subject: Alert : Online Banking
Download
Capital One App
Visit Capital
One Sign In
PROTECT YOUR ACCOUNT NOW
Dear Customer,
We're notifying you about several unusual login attempt on your account within the past 24hrs, and we have decided to place it on hold until you validate your login profile.
To resolve this Sign on to online banking by clicking sign in below :
Sign in to Online Banking to restore and ensure the safety of your Account .
Capital One
2017
Capital One customers who have received messages claiming that they need to do some activity on their accounts, such always go directly to https://www.capitalone.com/ and sign into their accounts. Once they have signed in, they will be notified of security updates, notifications and other important notifications. So, there is no need to click on a link in an email message, which may go to phishing or malicious website.
Also, Capital One customers who have already been tricked by the phishing messages, are asked to change their passwords and contact Capital One immediately, before their accounts are hijacked and used fraudulently by cybercriminals.