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Phishing Attacks Escalate Against German Bank and Online Service Customers

Consumer groups warn criminals are deploying realistic phishing emails alongside sophisticated mobile banking malware to steal customer credentials.

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Overview

  • Phishing campaigns have surged targeting customers of banks like Sparkasse, DKB and Volksbank as well as users of Amazon, PayPal, Netflix and other online services.
  • Attackers send realistic emails and SMS claiming urgent account updates or security issues, linking to cloned websites that capture login credentials.
  • Researchers warn of mobile banking malware such as the iOS- and Android-compatible SparkKitty Trojan and an advanced Android 'Godfather' variant that overlays real apps to harvest data.
  • Banks and consumer protection agencies recommend users verify sender details, avoid unsolicited links and only log in via official websites or apps.
  • Experts say low adoption of strong passwords and two-factor authentication exacerbates risk as cybercrime losses in Germany hit up to €267 billion in 2024.