"BB&T Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile" Phishing Scams

Branch Banking and Trust(BB&T) customers please be aware of "We are Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile" phishing emails like the one below. The phishing email messages claim that the recipients must update their account billing information or else their accounts will be placed on hold. The phishing email messages then claim that the recipients need to click on a link to verify their accounts before they can continue using them. But, the link will only take the recipients who have clicked on it, to a phishing website, looking like Branch Banking and Trust’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 cybercriminals behind the scam, who will use it to gain access to their victims’ accounts, where they will steal the victims’ money and use their accounts fraudulently.

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BBT Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile Phishing Scams

Sample of the "BB&T Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile" Phishing Scam

From: BB&T-Center <bebebebebeb@earthlink.net>

Date: February 7, 2018 at 11:46:12 AM EST

To: Undisclosed-Recipients:;

Subject: Action required

BB&T Logo

We are Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile

This is an automated message. Please do not reply directly to this email.

Security Update

Date: 07/02/2018

Profile Update: Update Your Billing

Your online account Billing information need to be updated. if you didn't take this action on time, it will cause your account to be on hold for further feedback.

Please click here to update

If you have any questions about this message or your account, please send us a secure message or call 888-BBT-ONLINE (888-228-6654).

To help prevent fraud, BB&T notifies you of security-related account activities, such as changes to your personal information or unusual account activity.

To confirm this email alert is from BB&T, log on to your online account and go to Alerts History from Edit or Add Alerts.

Found this email in your spam or junk mail?

Add alerts@message.bbt.com to your safe senders list to make sure your alerts are delivered to your inbox.

Contact BB&T about this message

Please do not reply to this automated message. If you would like to contact BB&T, send us a secure message or call 888-BBT-ONLINE (888-228-6654).

BB&T protects your personal information with advanced encryption technology. We will never ask you for personal information or transmit complete account numbers in an email. For your protection, please do not send sensitive account information including account numbers, Social Security numbers or any other private data.

Privacy/Information Protection

BB&T values your privacy and protects your information with leading-edge technology. Learn how BB&T protects your personal information and get information on how you can protect yourself. Visit our Privacy & Security and Security Central sections on BBT.com.

Branch Banking and Trust Company; Member FDIC.

BB&T, 200 West Second Street, PO Box 1250, Winston Salem, NC 27101-1250.

Copyright © 2018, Branch Banking and Trust Company. All rights reserved.

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:
BB&T’s customers should go directly to “https://www.bbt.com/” in their web browsers or search for “Branch Banking and Trust” using a popular search engine. 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 BB&T 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 Branch Banking and Trust 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 (Total: 2)

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November 4, 2019 at 5:19 PM by
"BB&T Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile" Phishing Scams
info

"From: BB&T Alerts <onlinebanking@bankofamerica-online.com>

Sent: Monday, November 4, 2019 1:09:46 PM

Subject: Online Banking Alert®

Online Banking Alert®

Dear Customer BB&T Bank

We have detected irregular activity on your account.

For your protection, you must verify this activity before you can continue using your account.

Please verify your account

Verify Now

We will review the activity on your account upon verification and we will remove any restrictions placed on your account.

Remember: Always look for your SiteKey® before entering your Passcode.

Sincerely,

Customer Service

BB&T Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

2019 BB&T Bank Corporation. All rights reserved."

Here is another scam.

Delete

July 7, 2019 at 6:40 PM by
"BB&T Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile" Phishing Scams
info

"Subject: Important Information About Your BB&T Account

From: System Support <bpugh6@triad.rr.com>

Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2019, 2:42 PM

To: Undisclosed-Recipients@null,null@null"

Received this scam.

Delete

Write Your Comment, Question, Answer, or Review

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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).

"BB&T Requesting An Update on Your Online Profile" Phishing Scams