Barclays has issued an urgent warning to its customers, advising them to ‘act immediately’ and ‘reset credentials’. The bank is urging account holders to exercise “caution” and remain vigilant as a new scam emerges amid the Cost of Living crisis.
Barclays has raised the alarm over a new scam that can gain “full access” to individuals’ mobile phones. A new malware scam is circulating, with 21 percent of people unaware of what it is and 28 percent having only a limited understanding. Mobile malware attacks have seen a staggering increase of 52 percent, prompting the bank’s alert.
Kirsty Adams stated: “Criminals employ sophisticated tactics to often sneak malware onto your device by adding apps that seem harmless and practical, such as a PDF reader, to official app stores. Once downloaded, these apps can sit dormant on your phone, raising no alarm bells, until you’re prompted to update the app inadvertently installing mobile malware on your device.”
“With full access to your phone, these harmful apps present you with fake login screens, scrape your phone for private information, and even spy on or control your activity on other apps. Therefore it’s important that you’re ultra cautious when installing anything on your phone”, reports Birmingham Live.
Barclays has issued a caution, advising customers to “be suspicious” if an app requests accessibility permissions. A digital eagle at Barclays, Ms Adams, emphasized the importance of being selective with apps: “Research what’s available before choosing one.”
She also provided guidance on immediate actions if malware is suspected: “Act immediately. If your device becomes infected by malware take immediate steps to limit the risk of infection and seek professional assistance.”
“Keep your device on, but disconnected. Unplug any network cables and de-activate Wi-Fi, mobile data and Bluetooth connections. Do not shut down your mobile device as you may not be able to access it again. Report the incident immediately to Action Fraud and preserve any evidence.”
Furthermore, Ms Adams highlighted the necessity of resetting credentials cautiously: “Reset your credentials, including passwords, but make sure you don’t lock yourself out of systems that are needed for recovery.”
