Verification of your credit or debit card account: Caution, risk of fraud!

Once again, phishing e-mails are circulating asking for verification of the accounts of the user’s own debit or credit card.

The fraudsters pretend that the debit or credit card must be verified or the secure code service must be activated so that the card becomes secure again. The message usually claims to be urgent, as card security is supposedly at great risk. Anyone who clicks on the link in the message is redirected to a fake website, which often appears deceptively genuine and at first glance looks just like the card issuer's website. The victim is then asked to verify their card details. As a rule they also ask for an authentication code which is sent to the unsuspecting victim by text message. Anyone who forwards such data is in breach of their duty of care and automatically triggers a payment. In such cases, even banks and card issuers can no longer help.

Therefore, always remember:

• Your bank or card issuerwill never contacts you by e-mail.
• Your bank or card issuer will never ask you for an authentication code.
• Pass on your card details only if you want to make a specific payment via a trustworthy shop.