Website Spoofing
Website spoofing, also known as domain spoofing, is a form of phishing that occurs when bad actors mimic an actual website to fool users. At a glance, it may resemble a legitimate website, but upon closer inspection minor differences may be apparent. For example, a URL that reads “yOurbank.cn” instead of “yourbank.com” is a red flag of a spoofed site.
Hackers are using search engine optimization tools to lure people to these spoofed sites by appearing at the top of the search results, based on the key words entered. They use this method to deceive users into entering login credentials on the spoofed site.
What should you do to stay safe?
- Avoid typing Amegy Bank and Treasury Gateway in the browser search bar and then clicking links from the search results when logging in.
- Navigate to our website by typing https://www.amegybank.com in the address bar. Click “Sign in” and choose Treasury Gateway.
- Create and use a trusted bookmark to access Treasury Gateway.
What are red flags to look for?
- Watch for misspellings.
- Examine search engine results carefully and avoid listings marked as ads.
- Look for the “https//.” It’s not a guarantee the site is safe, but lack of the “s” is a red flag.
- Beware of foreign domains such as .eu or .jp (which indicate Europe and Japan). If it is not .com, .gov or .edu, take a closer look.
- Slow down and review domains that do not make sense given the institution, like irs.com (government agencies use .gov).
- Be aware that cybercriminals purchase other legitimate, but less common, domains to trick users into visiting a malicious site, such as .zip, .pub, .top, .wang, .xyz, .bid, .mobi, .xin, .cn and .gift.
Website spoofing is becoming more sophisticated, making it easy to fall prey to fraud. The best way to handle spoofed sites is by exercising caution at all times.
Your security is our top priority. We will never contact you asking for your financial or personal information or ask a second person to log in to your computer to unlock your access. If you receive a message requesting sensitive information that claims to be from us, do not click any links, and contact us immediately.