InterSwitch Nigeria Limited Email Scam - Phishing for Your Identity

Phishing and Vishing Identity Theft Scams
The InterSwitch Nigeria Limited Email Scam
"Important Notice: Confirm Your DEBIT CARDS, X-CHANGE CARDS And CASH CARDS"
Redirects to spoofed (Fake) website: http://hoalah.com/https/MONDAY.html

You may have received an email like the one below that looks very authentic, like it came from InterSwitch Nigeria Limited, or a phone call about the same subject. It is an attempt to get you to enter confidential information (typically a social security number, name, address, bank account information, etc., to allow the scammers to steal your identity and open credit cards in your name.

Of course, you might ask yourself, why would "InterSwitch Nigeria" claim I had a debit card through them, when I don't live in Nigeria? The answer is, it is a scam. This is referred to as "phishing" (when by email) or "vishing" (when by telephone). If you receive an email similar to the one below, DO NOT click on the link, and do not enter any information on the forms there.

Another obvious clue is the email is sent from a free email account in Germany! ( web.de)

The website that the link leads to is a spoof; a fake website, not created by InterSwitch Nigeria Limited. It goes to http://hoalah.com/https/MONDAY.html, not InterSwitch Nigeria Limited! When you enter the information they ask for, you will simply be handing the thieves the keys to your bank accounts.  That is how spoofing, phishing and vishing works.

Remember, no reputable business would send you an email or a phone call requesting your personal account information. Any such email you receive asking for this information should be considered phony and brought to the attention of the business being 'phished'.

Anytime you need to go to a website for your bank, credit card companies or other personal, financial or confidential information; do not follow a link in an email; just type their address in your browser directly (such as www.bankofamerica.com )

Below are actual phishing emails that started circulating in early 2008. We have put a warning over the links to the phisher's website.

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From: wunderlich-daniel@web.de [mailto: wunderlich-daniel@web.de ]
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 2:35 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Important Notice: Confirm Your DEBIT CARDS, X-CHANGE CARDS And CASH CARDS

 

Dear InterSwitch Value Customer,

InterSwitch is pleased to notify our online banking customers that
we have successfully upgraded to a more secure and encrypted
SSL servers to serve our esteemed customers for a better and
more efficient banking services in the year 2009.
Due to this recent upgrade you are requested to update your
ATM CARD information by following the reference below. using our
new secure and safe SSL servers. To validate your ATM CARD account
click on  <a href="http://hoalah.com/https/MONDAY.html" ">UPGRADE MY ATM CARD SECURITY.

This Email has being sent to all our Bank customers, and it is
compulsory to follow as failure to verify account details will lead to
account suspension.

Thank you.
©InterSwitch Nigeria Limited

 

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For more information about phishing, see this page.