Bank Security | Phishing Email Pretending to be from the BCRA

We have detected a phishing email claiming to have been sent by “International Transfers. BCRA.” In this regard, it is worth pointing out that the BCRA does not request personal or banking data by email.

This email purports to be an email from the BCRA and is sent from 025417@bcra.gov.ar, an account that does not belong to the BCRA. BCRA’s email addresses have the following official domain: @bcra.gob.ar.

If you receive any other email, we recommend you immediately delete it as it is a phishing attack, i.e., a deceptive email that pretends to be legitimate and is used to obtain banking and personal data.

How to Recognize Phishing Attacks

They usually display some or all the following telltale signs:

1. Sender: unknown contacts or anyone purporting to be recognized organizations or individuals, usually misspelled.

2. Email address: it seemingly looks like the real address; however, it may have an extra letter, or else any other letter may be added, deleted or replaced by a number. For example: hxxps://banco-central[.]xxxxxx[.]com/xxxxx (the right address is: https://bcra.gob.ar/).

3. Subject and content: phishing usually involves an unexpected email requesting immediate action or informing about imminent danger.

4. Links and attachments: the content usually redirects to links or requests data or the downloading of malware files or programs known as virus.

Translation of the fake email detected into English:

From: BCRA - ID 0254 <025417@bcra.gov.ar>

Subject: Information on your USD transfer from abroad - 4/25/2021 5:54 PM

Dear xxx, we inform you that you have an incoming transfer in dollars from a foreign bank. Given the transfer amount and the current regulations of the BCRA (Central Bank of Argentina) on incoming foreign currency above USD10,000 (TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS), you must pay the transfer tax for instant fund transfer to your bank account.

The amount of the transfer is ARS29,870 (TWENTY NINE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SEVENTY PESOS)

Upon payment of the tax, the amount transferred to your account will be immediately converted into pesos at the current exchange rate.

We attach a CBU (Single Banking Code) / CVU (Single Virtual Code) for the tax payment.

BCRA account holder: Gianluca Bonomi

CBU / CVU: 0000003100098619960754

Amount: ARS29,870

Yours sincerely,

Vanina L. Fonsalida.

Director General.

BCRA

How to Report a Scam or Fraud If you identify a virtual fraud or deception

You may contact the Specialized Cybercrime Unit (Unidad Fiscal Especializada en Ciberdelincuencia, UFECI).

Address: Sarmiento 663, 6° Piso, CABA

Phone:(+54 11) 5071-0040 / 0041

Email: denunciasufeci@mpf.gov.ar

If you receive information or messages purporting to be from the BCRA you may forward them to Online Support (ayudaenlinea@bcra.gob.ar).

April 26, 2021.