Cybercriminals target bank customers with phishing and NFC fraud

Authorities and financial institutions are warning of multiple sophisticated fraud schemes targeting bank customers.

In Austria, Watchlist Internet has identified a phishing campaign using fake FinanzOnline emails. Scammers are promising an unusually high tax refund of 3,612 euros for the 2025 assessment year. The fraudulent messages direct users to a fake website designed to steal sensitive banking credentials under the guise of connecting a bank account to receive the payment.

Separately, Erste Bank and Sparkassen have issued warnings regarding an NFC-based fraud tactic. In this scheme, criminals contact victims via phone, claiming a suspicious transaction has occurred. They then send a link via WhatsApp to a fraudulent “security app.” Once installed, the app instructs users to activate NFC and hold their debit or credit card against the smartphone, sometimes requesting the card's PIN. This method facilitates an NFC relay attack, allowing criminals to relay card communication in real-time to remote terminals or ATMs to perform unauthorized transactions. Similar tactics have been documented by Group-IB in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia.