Criminals create a fake Bawag PSK message and send it en masse.

As our cooperation partner Watchlist Internet warns, the message asks recipients to install a security app in order to be able to use their account again because of an alleged restriction on their account.

Attention: This is malware and an attempt to gain access to other people's bank details. Anyone who installs the application gives the criminals access to their own bank account . Good virus protection helps against fraud.

Consumers like you and me often receive messages in which fraudsters pose as Bawag PSK. In the email you will be informed that the account at the bank has been restricted and therefore a security app must be installed:

MIMIKAMA
The fraudulent phishing email in the name of Bawag PSK Source: Watchlist Internet

If you are actually a Bawag PSK customer, you might think the message is genuine.

But be careful: If you follow the “Continue to the APP” button, you will be taken to a fake Bawag PSK page where you will be asked to enter your bank details. In the next step, your phone number will be requested and then you should install the alleged security app on your smartphone.

You must not install this app under any circumstances because it is malware that allows fraudsters to read your SMS messages and thus your TAN codes. The ultimate goal of criminals is to steal money from your account.

How do you recognize fraud in time?

If you take a closer look, you'll notice that this is definitely a fake message because:

  • Banks do not send emails to customers asking them to install a security app on a third-party website. The content of the message is therefore a clear indication that the letter comes from criminals.
  • Pay attention not only to the sender's name, but also to their email address after the name. If you compare these with trustworthy emails from your bank, you will find that the sender is different.
  • You will be asked to enter your personal banking/login details on a fake website. However, your bank would never ask you to enter your details anywhere other than your usual online banking access.
  • You will not be addressed personally in the email. If you receive messages from your real bank, this will not happen.
  • You should install the app from an unknown source, i.e. not from the official app store of your phone operating system. Such an approach should be avoided due to increased security risks.

Have you already installed the security app?

In this case, contact your bank immediately and inform the bank employees that you have entered your account details on a third-party site and installed malware on your smartphone. Clarify how to proceed to ensure that you do not suffer any harm. You should also report this to the police.

Delete app!

So that you can use your smartphone safely again, it is absolutely necessary to completely remove the application from your phone. The most effective way to do this is to reset your smartphone to its factory state.

However, keep in mind that this will also delete all data such as photos, videos and contacts. Another emergency solution is to put your phone in “recovery mode”.

The best way to find out how this works for your smartphone model is to do an internet search.

Once your phone has been cleaned, you should change all passwords and login details so that fraudsters no longer have access to your online banking. It is also advisable to change any other passwords that you may have entered on your phone when the app was already installed, as these could also have been accessed by the criminals.

The Internet Watchlist recommends:

If you find a message from Bawag PSK in your inbox asking you to install a security app, ignore the request and move the message to your spam folder to protect yourself from financial damage save yourself a lot of trouble.


If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:

📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.

Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!

* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!


Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )