It has come to the attention of the Bank of Greece that its name, logos and other details/features are being abused by third parties in connection with fraudulent financial transactions and other deceptive activities. Actually, there have been incidents where the Bank of Greece is named as the bank through which a payment or transaction is to be carried out, with a view to misleading the public and misappropriating funds.
In this connection, the Bank of Greece wishes to clarify that it does not provide commercial banking services to individuals or corporations; collect fees for cross-border transfers; accept deposits from individuals and corporations; or issue certificates for the release of funds. Therefore, the Bank of Greece cautions the public to avoid any contact with persons engaging in such activities and to refrain from transferring funds and disclosing bank account or credit card details to anyone claiming to represent or be related to the Bank of Greece in the context of banking transactions.
The Bank of Greece also denies any responsibility in case that its name, logos or address are used for fraudulent purposes. If anyone notices or receives written messages and/or emails of dubious origin referring to or purporting to be sent by the Bank of Greece, they should promptly inform or consult the competent authorities.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Bank of Greece aware of any fraud incidents?
Yes. The Bank of Greece has received reports of attempted fraud involving the misuse of its name and/or logo, as well as the impersonation of Bank of Greece employees.
If you receive any email that appears suspicious:
- never open attachments; and
- never respond to invitations or requests.
If anyone contacts you impersonating a Bank of Greece employee and claiming to have in their possession money that belongs to you, it is a fraud. We are not a commercial bank, therefore we do not accept deposits from the general public.
The Bank of Greece will never contact you by email, phone, text or instant messaging and ask you to provide personal information.
The members of the Bank of Greece Administration and its staff will never contact you on personal or financial issues.
What are the most common phishing scams?
- Being told that the Bank of Greece is a commercial bank providing online banking services.
- Being told that the Bank of Greece charges a fee for cross-border transfers.
- Being asked to make a payment through an alleged Bank of Greece website or customer service department.
- Being asked to make a payment because the Bank of Greece is blocking money transfers.
- Being asked to make a payment because the Bank of Greece is collecting deposits or payments for the purchase or conversion into cash of bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies or because the Bank of Greece is recovering funds for victims of fraud.
- Being encouraged to take out a loan from the Bank of Greece at very attractive terms.
If you find yourself in any of these situations, you are being targeted by fraudsters!
How can I recognise a phishing email involving the Bank of Greece?
While phishing emails may look like official Bank of Greece emails, they often contain errors and other clues as to their fraudulent nature. How can you recognise a phishing email?
- Check the sender: official Bank of Greece email addresses end in @bankofgreece.gr.
- Check the salutation: if the email is not addressed to you personally, it is likely a phishing attempt.
- Check the text for grammatical and spelling errors: fake emails often contain mistakes.
- Check the link in the email: hover your mouse over the link without clicking on it to make the full address appear on your screen. Some email programmes display the link at the bottom of the screen. If the link does not lead to bankofgreece.gr, it is probably a phishing attempt.
In general, be wary of unexpected emails that ask you to take immediate action (e.g. to transfer money urgently) or that seem too good to be true.
How can you protect yourself?
Never transfer money unless you are certain who will receive it.
Never disclose details such as passwords, bank account numbers, ID numbers, or any other personal information.
The Bank of Greece denies any responsibility in case that its name, logos or address are used for fraudulent purposes. We advise you to report cases of fraud to or seek assistance from the competent authorities.