Learn how it works and how to protect yourself!

People who use banking apps must be aware of a new type of scam that is becoming more and more common. Recently, articles have circulated on news portals related to this new popular coup, which is called “Phantom Hand Coup”.

In this way, Banco do Brasil was one of the banks that directed its customers when carrying out this new scam. Thus, the organization has confirmed that the only way to download the application is through the official store of your cell phone, and the application must be official as well. In addition, it is also emphasized that there is no need to download any other application to access the bank remotely.

What is happening?

But what is this fake hand swipe they often talk about? First, the scam usually works like this: the victim falls for the scam and ends up downloading an app on their cell phone that allows the scammers to access their bank details through the victim’s app.

This way, the victim can see, in real time, someone else changing their data and thus stealing the account balance. In addition to Banco do Brasil, other financial institutions have also sent alerts to their customers so that they suspect any request that social networks send customers to download some other application, in addition to the official application of their banks.

One way to notice this happening is when the cell phone starts giving commands that the owner did not issue. In other words, pages, sites, and other tools can open or close on their own, without the device owner being responsible for executing these commands.

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phantom hand

There are two common ways cybercriminals engage with customers and then steal their data. The first occurs through emails or text messages that can contain alarming texts inviting the user to download an app or update. Usually, a link is sent that, when a person clicks, ends up allowing cybercriminals that access.

Another way is also over the phone. Thus, a person may receive a call from a supposed bank employee, who may talk about an alleged financial transaction, which, of course, the customer does not recognize. Therefore, the cybercriminal may suggest that the person download an app so that the alleged action can be corrected and thus the person falls into the scam.

Despite this, the Brazilian Confederation of Banks assures that mobile banking applications are secure and that there is no way to enter them without a password. For this reason, what criminals are looking for are the passwords that are stored somewhere on the cell phone and they try to use the passwords to get into the application.

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