Scams with fake bank cards are increasing in Portugal. GNR alerts that scammers send letters with cards that look authentic, including the cardholder's name and the bank's logo, to convince victims that it is a legitimate replacement of the previous card, whose validity has expired or is about to expire.
This method is experiencing strong growth because it exploits what GNR describes as a "cultural trust in postal and banking services." People are accustomed to receiving official correspondence at home and tend to trust letters that appear to come from their bank.
When activating the card through the website indicated in the letter, victims lose all the money from their accounts. The letter includes alleged urgency to pressure people to act quickly without verifying the authenticity of the request.
GNR recommends that citizens be wary of any unsolicited communications, verify directly with the bank through official channels, and never click on suspicious links to activate cards.
