GoKawiilFake replacement credit cards mailed to victims in Europe fuel bank fraud
Criminals in Portugal, France and Germany have been mailing counterfeit credit cards and letters warning recipients that their card is expiring, urging them to scan a QR code to "activate" a replacement. The code leads to a fraudulent banking site that harvests login credentials, giving attackers access to victims' real accounts. Some fake cards even bear the recipient's actual name to increase credibility, according to digital banking advisor Georg Hauer.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Hauer suggests the scheme's roughly two-year run across multiple countries indicates it has been profitable enough to spread further, and he notes that AI-assisted design tools have made producing convincing counterfeit cards cheaper. This points to a broader trend where old-fashioned physical-mail fraud is being modernized with AI and digital phishing infrastructure, potentially making it harder for banks and consumers to distinguish real mailings from scams.
- Fake replacement credit cards and expiration letters have targeted victims in Portugal, France and Germany.
- QR codes on the fake cards redirect victims to phishing sites designed to steal real banking credentials.
- Cheaper AI-based design tools may be enabling wider replication of the scam in additional countries, an advisor suggests.
RFID-Blocking Card Sleeves — With physical credit card scams making a comeback, it's worth locking down every angle of card security, including skimming at ATMs and payment terminals. These slim protective sleeves shield your cards' chips from unauthorized scans while you sort out which mail is legit and which is a scam letter. They're an easy, low-effort way to add a layer of physical security to your wallet.”}
See RFID-Blocking Card Sleeves on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: wired.com — Lily Hay Newman, 2026-09-26
Published there as: “Old-School Credit Card Scams Are Far From Dead”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.