Customers who use Nordea’s online banking services have been warned by the bank that the facility may be the target of a malicious software programme. According to Nordea around 15 customer accounts have been affected, with cyber-crooks stealing some 50 million euros.
YLE reports that Nordea has agreed to reimburse any monies lost by account holders in the scam, in which the malware causes a pop-up screen to appear on infected computers. This screen, similar in appearance to Nordea Netbank’s Finnish log-in page, is entirely in English and advises customers that the online service is currently undergoing maintenance. This announcement is fraudulent and has been used as a portal for accessing customer details.
“Unfortunately, this malware has ended up on customers’ computers. Nothing mysterious happens, it simply lures customers into giving up their ID into the hands of criminals,” said the head of risk management for Nordea Kari Oksanen.
The bank is warning that any customer who suspects that their computer has in any way been affected should not log-on to the internet banking facility under any circumstances. Nordea also recommends employing a trusted anti-virus programme to scan and eliminate the malicious programme, while police are making investigations into the malware ploy.
“The important thing is to keep the computer clean, that is, ensure that the computer has an appropriate and up-to-date anti-virus program that’s acquired from a trustworthy provider,” advised Oksanen.