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Secure banking

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How to protect company’s funds from fraudsters?

  • Learn about the 6 most common scenarios fraudsters are using to trick businesses
  • Get to know fraud techniques so you can recognize them in an instant
  • Never disclose Internet Bank log-in information to anyone
  • Make sure that Internet Bank users rights in your company are up to date

6 most common fraud scenarios

Fraudsters use various methods and channels to trick you out of your money. Take a look at how the most common corporate scams work and how you can protect your company from falling victim to a cybercrime.

3. Business email Compromise (BEC) fraud

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1. Internet bank fraud

How it works?

  • It looks like you are being contacted by Swedbank via a phone call, e-mail, or SMS.
  • The reason for the contact is usually something urgent related to your account, for example, to block some wrong transfer.
  • Through an e-mail or SMS you are directed to a site that looks like the Internet Bank login screen. In a call you are asked for your Internet Bank User ID, PIN-codes or card numbers.
  • After you have provided the information or entered your login details, your account is taken over by fraudsters, and all your money is transferred to the fraudster’s account.

How to avoid fraudsters?

  • Never share your bank details (User ID, card information or PIN-codes) anywhere. The bank will never ask you for those!
  • Do not download any attachments from e-mails. Check that e-mails from the bank end with @swedbank.ee.

2. False invoices

How it works?

  • Fraudsters would send you a fake invoice. These types of invoices are more likely to be disguised as payments for advertising, membership fees, or software subscriptions.
  • Sometimes fraudsters mimic the existing suppliers with familiar sounding names.
  • The aforementioned examples are usually asking to pay amounts of money that would not draw the attention, because they don’t seem to be substantial.
  • Bear in mind that after the payment is executed it is nearly impossible to trace back to the fraudsters and retrieve the funds.

How to avoid invoices scams?

  • Check every single invoice with the counterparties at your company responsible for the budget line.
  • Background checks won’t probably work because fraudsters mimic real companies.

3. Business email Compromise (BEC) fraud

How it works?

  • A bookkeeper receives an email from an employee or partner that their bank account number has changed and from now on salary or financial obligations should be transferred to the new one.
  • The new bank account is under the control of fraudsters and usually banks are used where the beneficiary's name and account number conformity are not checked upon receipt of money.
  • Fraudsters may have gained access to the mail server and taken over the email accounts of the individuals in question.

How to avoid BEC fraud?

  • If you are asked to swap the bank account number, try to contact the person who made the request by calling them on the phone (do not use the number you see in the email) and ask for the legitimacy of the request. If you still have doubts, do not proceed with the change.
  • Report the money transfer request to your bank, this will help protect other company.

4. CEO fraud

How it works?

  • A member of senior management sends you an email asking you to make a money transfer to some account urgently.
  • You are asked to transfer money to a bank account in another country. Often to a person, not a company.

How to avoid CEO fraud?

  • If you are asked to make a money transfer by your manager while he or she is on vacation, and the supplier is not one of your regulars, try to contact the person who made the request by calling them on the phone (do not use the number you see in the email) and ask for the legitimacy of the request. If you still have doubts, do not proceed with the transfer.
  • Report the money transfer request to your bank, this will help protect other companies.

5. Phishing emails

How it works?

  • You receive an email claiming that your bank account has been compromised, or that your company is being audited and inviting you to click on a link to find out more.
  • Clicking on the link inside the email takes you to a website that is often an exact copy of the legitimate site.
  • When you enter your credentials to the fake website, the scammer will enter these details to the real one and gains access to your bank account.

How to avoid phishing emails?

  • Make sure your firewalls and anti-virus are up to date, and you are operating only via a safe connection (your VPN is turned on when you are working from home).
  • Check the legitimacy of the email address of the sender. Fraudsters tend to mimic real email addresses. An example of such an email would be: alerts@swedbank.ee.
  • Fraudsters always tend to trigger your emotions and sense of urgency. Never click on links provided in emails. You can always check your bank statement by visiting your bank internet page directly, or at least hover with your cursor on a link to see what the actual URL is.
  • Report the phishing attempt to your bank or the institution the fraudster was impersonating. Inform your IT department and your colleagues about the attempt.
  • Fraudsters might initiate transactions as a result. Never approve an operation if you are not 100% sure you initiated it.

6. Email attachments

How it works?

  • You receive an email from your colleague, or a supplier. This email contains an attachment.
  • You open the attachment, or a link leading to one, and malicious code is executed on your device in the background.

Now the fraudster can collect any information you enter into your browser or encrypt files on your device and/or server and start demanding a ransom for the encryption key.

How to avoid email scams?

  • Check the legitimacy of the email address of the sender. Fraudsters tend to mimic real email addresses. If you receive an email from a colleague you barely know, do not open the attachment.
  • Make sure your firewalls and anti-virus are up to date, and you are operating only via a safe connection (your VPN is turned on when you are working from home).
  • If you have opened the file anyway, and it asks you to enable macros, deny the request, close the file.
  • Report the phishing attempt to your IT department and your colleagues.
  • Fraudsters might initiate transactions as a result. Never approve an operation if you are not 100% sure you initiated it.

How do I protect my company’s funds from fraudsters?

  • You should never confirm transactions or logins to the Internet Bank or app, which are not initiated by you under any circumstances. Be extremely cautious when you are contacted by a person introducing themselves as a bank representative asking you for your bank credentials.
  • Do not click on any links you get in emails, messaging apps or text messages. Do not comply with any requests asking you to provide Internet Bank log in details or corporate bank card credentials.
  • If you have any doubts, do not rush into any action, and dismiss all actions.

Are you worried about the security of your corporate bank account? Get in touch with us!

Get in touch with us on (+372) 6 132 222 if:

  • You notice suspicious transactions on your bank account.
  • You suspect that third parties might have gained or attempted to gain access to your corporate Internet Bank and/or corporate bank card details.

What you can do if your company has fallen a victim to a fraud?

  • Block your card - you can block your cards in our app or Internet Bank. In Internet Bank log in, go under Cards > My cards > choose a card you wish to block and use slider “Block card”. Via the Swedbank mobile app, under “Cards” by switching the setting from “Active” to “Blocked”.
  • Report a security flaw – if you notice anything suspicious that may potentially be a security flaw, report it! How to notify us.
How to log in securely?
  • You shouldn’t confirm transactions or logins to Internet Bank or app, which are not initiated by you under no circumstances.
  • You shouldn’t ever disclose your personal data or data used for login to Internet Bank and app to other persons, including family members, friends or bank employees, unless you are calling to the bank.
  • Do not write down, send by e-mail, SMS, etc. or otherwise save any confidential codes and passwords to unlock the screen of your computer or mobile phone. Create complex passwords, that are difficult to guess, memorise them and change them regularly. When creating PIN codes, be sure to make PIN codes in random number combination. Do not use combinations, such as 1111, 1234, dates of birth other personal details etc.
  • Remember that your User ID number is as important as your personal code, thus pay a great deal of attention to its security.
  • Keep in mind that after login you will have access to many services including external ones which do not require additional authentication.
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Internet Exploreriga ei saa internetipanka avada.

Palun kasuta Google Chrome’i, Mozilla Firefoxi või Microsoft Edge’i.

Alates 23. märtsist ei ole võimalik Internet Exploreri veebibrauseri kaudu Swedbanki internetipanka avada.

Internet Exploreri kaudu ei saa teha ega kinnitada Swedbanki makseid ka teistel veebilehtedel.

Soovitame kasutada Internet Exploreri asemel Google Chrome’i, Mozilla Firefoxi või Microsoft Edge’i uusimat versiooni. Nende seadistamise juhendid leiad siit.

С 23.03.2021 Интернет-банк Swedbank недоступен в браузере Internet Explorer.

С помощью Internet Explorer невозможно авторизоваться или осуществлять платежи через Swedbank на сторонних веб-страницах.

Вместо браузера Internet Explorer мы рекомендуем использовать браузеры Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox или Microsoft Edge. Инструкции по установке упомянутых браузеров можно найти здесь.

From 23.03.2021 Swedbank Internet Bank and Banklink is no longer available using Internet Explorer browser.

It is not possible to authorize or make payments from Swedbank on other web pages using Internet Explorer.

Instead, we suggest using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or the newest version of Microsoft Edge. To find out how to install the suggested browsers, please click here.

Klienditugi - Инфо и помощь - Customer service: +372 6 310 310

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