Nowadays almost everything can be done with just one click. Going to the bank has also become a thing of the past in our digital world - online banking has experienced a huge upswing. However, this convenience also comes with risks. One of the biggest dangers are phishing attacks, especially via search engines. Our appeal is therefore: Be careful when you search for your online banking website on Google, Bing and Co.!

Growing Threat Phishing

Look very carefully at the search results when you access your online banking site using a search engine. Several banks have already warned that the first hits could be fake websites run by criminals. It is possible that these places are purchased as advertising. So if you ignore the label as an “ad” and click on the link, you may be directed to a fake page that looks deceptively similar to the real online banking page.

There are different scenarios in which criminals could try to harm you:

  • A page opens claiming that access to online banking is blocked and that you should call a specified telephone number. Important personal data could then be requested there, which the criminals could later use to plunder the bank account.
  • It is claimed that online banking requires an app to be installed on the smartphone or tablet. This app is usually malicious and can be used to spy on sensitive information such as login details and passwords.
  • A page opens that looks exactly like the login area of ​​your online banking. After entering your login details, you can't get any further, but instead have sent your login details to criminals.

How to protect yourself

Fortunately, there are several ways to mitigate such attacks:

  • Always enter your online banking address directly into the address bar of your browser. Or add the page as a favorite or bookmark in your browser.
  • If you don't know the address of your online banking and are searching using a search engine, pay attention to terms like “advertisement”, “advertising” or similar. Do not click on links that are marked accordingly.
  • Only install the official apps from Google (Play Store) and Apple (App Store) on your smartphone or iPhone.
  • Ignore requests on websites that ask you to install an app. These are often harmful!

Conclusion

This type of fraud is not just limited to online banking. Purchased placements in search engines that are intended to lure you into a trap are also possible in other areas.

Therefore, it is always advisable to be vigilant and carefully check any internet address before clicking on it or entering any personal information.

This might also interest you:

Warning of fraudulent emails in the name of the “Federal Police”
Fraud attempt on Booking.com: Accommodations cancel reservations and demand external payments!
Optical illusions meet fake news: How our perception deceives us


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 )