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<\/p>\n\n\nIf you have received an email claiming to be from HSBC Bank with the subject line “RE: Payment Advice – Advice Ref: [G80286894999]”, be careful. This is a scam email that is designed to infect your computer with a trojan virus called TrickBot. This virus can steal your personal information, such as your online banking credentials, and use it to access your accounts and transfer money to the criminals behind this campaign.<\/p>\n
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The HSBC Bank email scam is a phishing attack that aims to distribute a trojan-type virus called TrickBot. The emails look like they are sent from HSBC, one of the largest banks in the world, and claim that a money payment has not been processed. They urge the recipients to open an attached MS Word document for more information. However, this is a scam – the attachment is not a legitimate document, but a malicious file that stealthily downloads and installs malware on the user’s computer.<\/p>\n\n\n
Here is how the fake HSBC email looks:<\/p>\n
\nSubject: RE: Payment Advice – Advice Ref: [G80286894999]<\/p>\n
Dear Sir\/Madam,<\/p>\n
The attached payment advice is issued at the request of our customer.
The advice is for your reference only.<\/p>\nIMPORTANT: This email contains official information from HSBC that is
presented to you in an encrypted PDF format. The attached PDF files
are encrypted with your email \u201c\u201d mail server credentials to prevent
unauthorized access.<\/p>\nYours faithfully,
Global Payments and Cash Management
HSBC<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nThe malware then hijacks the user’s browser and modifies the visited websites so that any login credentials entered are sent to a remote server controlled by the cybercriminals behind the scam. This way, they can access the user’s private accounts, such as social media, online banking, email, and so on. They can also steal sensitive information, such as personal data, financial details, or identity documents.<\/p>\n
How to spot the fake HSBC Bank email scam<\/h2>\n
The HSBC Bank email scam is designed to look convincing and professional, but there are some signs that can help you identify it as a fraud. Here are some of them:<\/p>\n
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- The sender’s address does not match the official HSBC domain. For example, it might be something like hsbc@securemail.com or hsbc@payment.net. Always check the sender’s address carefully and do not trust it based on the name alone.<\/li>\n
- The email contains grammatical or spelling errors, such as “Your payment has not been proccessed” or “Please open attachement for more details”. These mistakes indicate that the email was not written by a professional or native speaker.<\/li>\n
- The email creates a sense of urgency or pressure, such as “You have only 24 hours to resolve this issue” or “Failure to do so will result in legal action”. These tactics are used to scare the user into opening the attachment without thinking twice.<\/li>\n
- The email asks you to open an attachment or click on a link that does not look legitimate. For example, the attachment might have a suspicious name or extension, such as “Payment_details.docm” or “HSBC_invoice.exe”. The link might lead to a fake website that mimics the HSBC login page but has a different URL. Always hover over the link or attachment before clicking on it and check if it matches what you expect.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Check if you’re device is infected with malware<\/h2>\n
The HSBC Email Scam can contain malware within the attachments or links that appear in the body of the email. By interacting with the malware \u2014 for example, opening or downloading an attachment that contains a malicious payload \u2014 the user may unknowingly infect their device or network, enabling attackers to gain access to protected applications and data.<\/p>\n
To check your computer or phone for Trojans, browser hijackers, or other malware and remove them for free, you run a scan with Malwarebytes Free.<\/p>\n
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Malwarebytes runs on Windows, Mac, and Android. Click the tab below for the device you want to scan, then follow the steps to remove any malware it finds.<\/p>\n