EBA issues alert over fraudulent scams on its behalf

The European Banking Authority (EBA) issued today an alert that its name and logo are being used to validate email scams aiming at obtaining money or personal details. Most scams fraudulently claim that the EBA have a role in approving financial transactions to and from the European Union (EU). Samples of such emails are being flagged to the EBA from all over the world.

Following a series of cases of misuse of its logo, the European Banking Authority (EBA) has become aware of a wide series of scams falsely stating that they are issued by the EBA or its representatives. These typically involve emails, faxes, fake letters or webpages that contain often very accurate, but illegal, replications of the EBA logo, as well as replications of signatures of EBA officials and copies of pages of the EBA website.

All recipients of fraudulent emails that claim to be sent by the EBA or its representatives are warned not to access any links within these emails or disclose any personal information or reply to them, as the EBA will not take any responsibility for losses arising from using such sites, services or documents.

Scams are in all cases directed at prompting the recipient to provide money transfers and international payments, or identity verification for allowing financial transfers to enter the European Union (EU). However, the EBA clarifies that it does not have any competence to contact any persons or businesses regarding wire transfer applications and or to require any payments, or guarantees for allowing financial transfers to enter the EU.

The Authority recommends that all those in doubt over any suspicious correspondence claiming to be from, or linked to, the EBA should not hesitate to approach the EBA and seek clarification by contacting scams@eba.europa.eu.

For more information, visit our frauds and scams section.