Capital One customers who have received email or SMS text messages claiming that their accounts will be closed, need to undergo security check or verification, should delete the messages. This is because the messages, like the one below, 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 of "Capital One Account Closing" Phishing Scam
From: Capital One
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2016 3:25 PM
Subject: Capital One Account Closing
Visit Capital One Sign in to your account
Validate Your Account.
Dear Value Customer,
Due to the Capital One online security , we recommend you to validate your account to avoid account interruption by our new online security.
This will take you couple of minutes, account not validated will be suspended for security purposed, avoid your account being suspended by the Capital One online security and enjoy the new security level
Please visit Online Banking the Capital One Account Validate.
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.