The transaction number (TAN) in online banking is one of the particularly sensitive data that must under no circumstances fall into the hands of third parties. A TAN replaces the signature and is used like a one-time password, for example to trigger a transfer of money to another account. Depending on the method chosen, the numbers are sent as a message to the smartphone during online banking or generated on request using a separate reader and can only be used for a few minutes and for a specific purpose.
Under no circumstances should you pass on a TAN number, neither by telephone, in person or by email,” says Michael Herte, financial services consultant at the Schleswig-Holstein consumer advice center. “The conditions for participation in online banking clearly state that the PIN and TAN must be kept secret and, in particular, must not be passed on to third parties.”
Scammers fake hacker attacks or emergencies
Thieves and fraudsters can use a TAN to steal large amounts of money anonymously and remotely. There are always cases in which criminals surprise consumers with tricks and made-up stories. This is what happened to the young woman from Lübeck in the current case: A strange caller introduced himself as an employee of Volksbank Lübeck and claimed that hackers had gained access to her account. To secure the account, she must follow the following instructions, generate a TAN and give it on the phone. The fraudster was able to convince his victim, among other things, because he knew the affected person's account details. The same scam is also circulating in the form of phishing emails, which Volksbank Lübeck is currently warning its customers about.
Tips to protect yourself against phishing and telephone scams
In general, you should be careful with strangers calling - even if they claim to be police officers, consumer advocates or employees of a bank, insurance company, tax office or health insurance company.
“It is always risky to engage in such conversations on the phone. Fraudsters prepare well, for example they find out the names of the local branch employees and act so cleverly that the victims themselves do not understand how the fraud could have happened,” says Michael Herte.
This is how you can protect yourself:
- Keep calm and think . Scammers often try to create pressure and haste. However, when it comes to calls or emails with supposed emergencies, acting quickly is dangerous. If in doubt, it is best for those affected to call the officially known number of the company provided and ask whether the story described is true. In such cases, the consumer advice center also provides information on 0431 590 99 40 .
- Attention - not trust caller's number shown on the phone display , it can be manipulated.
- Do not trust strangers callers or visitors at the front door - even if they know personal information such as your own bank account details.
- When it comes to online banking, security comes first. This means: Do not use public Wi-Fi networks for banking transactions , use secure passwords and store them so that no one can access them. Never pass on access data .
- Anyone who uses banking apps and loses their smartphone should definitely inform the bank.
Source: consumer advice center
Also read: Warning about vacation rental scams
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