Strange online banking issue happened again

[hoosierdoc]

About a month ago I was doing my bills using online banking with PNC. My session expired so I had to login again. I entered my username and was told my account was suspended due to too many invalid attempts to log in. I checked and had 30 emails in the same minute telling me that.

Today I went to the bank website and tried to login. First time I entered my username it told me my account was suspended. Then I checked and I got 67 emails in the same minute from the bank telling me my information was entered wrong and my account was suspended.

Anyone have a clue what might be going on? The bank is telling me maybe someone has a similar login and is getting it wrong. They told me I had three failed attempts and then it logged me out. I can't seem to convince them that I did not make failed attempts that day or today.

I'm sure there are programs out there to brute force their way in to online accounts, but could there be some sort of malware on my computer just waiting for me to access the bank account and then do something? It seems that malware would just keycapture and come back on their own time to do nefarious things. I'm getting nervous and about ready to change banks but don't want to go through the hassle if I don't have to. It's odd that my attempt at login seems to trigger this.

 

[gamecrimez]

It sounds like someone has your user name & is guessing passwords. When you login are you on a wifi router? I had similar happen & come to find out my firmware on my router needed updated due to a security risk & basically someone hacked the network & somehow got my username but not my pass. I looked at the logs on the router & it wasn't anyone here or at a time we where open.

 

[hoosierdoc]

But it only happens the second I make a login attempt. That's the weird thing IMO. I hit enter and I'm locked out. I'll update firmware if a new one's out, thanks for the idea

 

[Ericpwp]

PM me your account info, I'll check it out.



Did you try from your phone?

 

[hoosierdoc]

PM me your account info, I'll check it out.



Did you try from your phone?

no, wired home PC

 

[Ericpwp]

It sounds like someone trying to guess your password. I would think they could track the ip address of the attempts to see if it was originating from your computer. I would change your username and pw.

...still waiting on PM.

 

[hoosierdoc]

But why would it happen immediately upon me entering my userID? 67 invalid attempt emails in one minute. It seems either automated from a botnet sort of thing or a screw up on the banks part to me

 

[Ericpwp]

If all the emails come at once, that could be. Try from the phone or other computer and see if it happens. I think the bank should be more helpful if they want you to keep your money there.

 

[hoosierdoc]

They escalated it to security people to look at and call me back. It happened Dec13th as well. I told them next time I'm gone

 

[femurphy77]

Sounds like the banks software has a loose screw in spite of their assurance that "You're the only customer that has brought this to our attention"!

 

[Alpo]

They escalated it to security people to look at and call me back. It happened Dec13th as well. I told them next time I'm gone

I've been with PNC for over a dozen years. When I was traveling in Georgia a number of years back, I used a paywall internet at a truck stop. My PNC account was hacked. PNC identified the issue before I did, called me for verification of charges and immediately changed banking and credit card info. I was never on the hook for any of the identified fraudulent charges.

I doubt that yelling at the bank is helpful. It is usually something that the cardholder or account holder did, unintentional though it may have been.

 

[kiddchaos]

Strange.
Did you try another computer and get the same results?
Does your bank login have ability to do 2-factor authentication, like text a code to your cell phone?

 

[woowoo2]

First, I would try to log on with a different PC.
If that works, then I would try a full scan with malwarebytes (free), then try to log on using a different browser.

 

[FWJK]

Now might be a good time to change your username and password.

 

[MCINDIANA]

I agree with FWJK .... change your username and password. Try logging in from another computer. If you are able to log in ok, then see what happens when you log in with your computer, If you have an issue with yours and not the other computer, you may have malware or virus installed on your computer.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

You likely have 1 or 2 or 3 passwords you use already... now change every one with a twist so no hacker can get to all of them...
customize each one, based on the site you are accessing...

Use a capital E at the beginning of your password, and a capital Y at the end of your password when accessing EBAY. Or insert AN after the first character of your usual password when using amazon.

In this way, every password is the same, yet every password is unique.

It won't affect the brute force attack you encountered, but may help to prevent hacking from down the road.

 

[Trigger Time]

It was probably because of this guy!

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[JettaKnight]

It was probably because of this guy!

Did INGO just get spammed?

Doc, try another computer, but I'm guessing it's a problem on their end.


FYI, I keep all my passwords in a program - Password Agent. It can autogenerate huge random strings for each site that are practically impossible to brute force break. I carry that program on a thumb stick so I only need to remember the password to open up that program. Of course, I have multiple backups of that program.