Lhe scam in which fraudsters pose as reputable banks is still on the rise, according to the FSMA, which has already issued several warnings against this phenomenon since 2021. “Fraudsters continue to usurp the identities of large banks and other financial institutions in order to deceive consumers’ vigilance,” indicates the Financial Services and Markets Authority on Thursday in a press release.
Victims are contacted by telephone or e-mail, without prior action on their part or after leaving their contact details on an online contact form. These forms are often offered to consumers on social networks, via advertisements or sponsored publications.
ING, Axa Bank, Deutsche Bank…
Fraudsters then offer consumers a savings offer, promising them interest higher than those of the market and, most often, guaranteeing them their capital. Very often, victims never recover the funds paid.
The FSMA has received reports concerning fraudsters presenting themselves in particular under the names Axa Banque, Banque Transatlantique, Caixabank, Deutsche Bank, ING, Trade Republic Bank, Wise Europe, etc.
Fraudsters sometimes use this same technique to offer other banking services to consumers, in particular credit offers. The scam is then based on the payment of fees supposedly necessary to obtain credit.
