Phishing

Learn to recognise this type of fraud

In a phishing scam, scammers send you a message that looks very similar to one you might receive from a bank, an institution or a company. These days, the messages are faked so well that it’s easy to think they’re real. So it’s now even more important to remain alert and recognise the signs. Do you know how can you tell the difference between a fake message and a real one? Read more about phishing, and learn how to recognise and prevent it.

Watch the video, which explains all about phishing in 30 seconds (in Dutch)

Features of phishing

Most phishing messages are sent as emails, but they can also be sent as a text message, a WhatsApp message, a direct message on social media or in a telephone call. Scammers use an excuse to pressure you into clicking a link or button or scanning a QR code. They hope that this will give them access to your confidential details, such as PIN codes and log-in details. Stay alert and be aware of the following signs that may indicate phishing:

An odd-looking sender address
You have to ‘urgently’ take care of something or act ‘fast’
You have an outstanding debt or something is about to expire, such as your debit card, credit card or access to your account.
You’re asked to enter personal details directly by clicking a link. The link might say something like: ‘Request a new debit card’, ‘View your personal page’ or ‘Click here to log in’.
The message is not addressed to you personally

Tips for recognising phishing

Remember that we will never ask you to log in to the ABN AMRO app or Internet Banking through a link in an email or text message
Always check the sender’s email address by clicking the name. Scammers often use an email address that looks very similar to that of your bank, for example. If ABN AMRO is the sender, the part of the email address after the @ symbol will always be nl.abnamro.com.
Always check whether a link in an email from ABN AMRO starts with https://www.abnamro.nl. You can do this by hovering over the link with your mouse without clicking.
The online tool www.checkjelinkje.nl shows you where you’ll be directed if you click a link in an email and whether the link is secure
Never enter confidential details such as your PIN code or log-in details on a website that you’re directed to through a link in an email, text message or WhatsApp message
Change your passwords regularly. And make sure that you’ve installed the latest software and security updates on your telephone and computer.
Good to know: go to Fraudehelpdesk.nl to check out latest fake emails being sent by scammers posing as ABN AMRO