Fraudsters promising prizes or financial benefits are trying to persuade customers to download a malicious app and tap their bank card against their phone. According to Erste, the transferred card data can let criminals withdraw cash while the victim is still on the call.
People in Hungary may have received warnings from several sources in recent weeks about increasingly widespread NFC scams. NFC is a wireless technology that lets two nearby devices exchange data. It’s fundamentally a secure payment method, but fraudsters may try to misuse it.
Erste emailed its customers a detailed explanation on Wednesday. According to the bank’s message, scammers ask users to download an app, then tap their bank card against their phone. Downloading the app gives the criminals access to the target’s phone, while tapping the card transfers its data through NFC.
In many cases, the scammers may then ask for the card’s PIN or a limit increase so they can withdraw cash or initiate online purchases during the conversation.
Erste stresses that you should never download an app at an unknown person’s request, even if they promise a prize or some form of financial benefit. If you encounter this kind of attempt over the phone, the bank advises hanging up immediately.
Source: Erste. Photo: Unsplash.
