This screenshot shows a phishing page impersonating Crédit Agricole, a major French bank. The page uses the pretext of mandatory SécuriPass activation (a legitimate security feature) to pressure victims into clicking a malicious link that leads to a fake login page.
Threat Analysis: Crédit Agricole Phishing – Fake SécuriPass Activation Deadline
The page claims that SécuriPass will become mandatory by a specific date (December 31, 2022) and urges the victim to click a button to “activate” it. A threat of a “banking ban” is added to create urgency.
How it works:
The victim receives an email or message containing a link to this page. Clicking the activation button leads to a fraudulent Crédit Agricole login page designed to steal online banking credentials and possibly two‑factor authentication codes.
The goal:
The attacker aims to capture the victim’s Crédit Agricole login credentials to access the account, transfer funds, and commit fraud.
Red flags to watch for:
- Suspicious URL: The page is hosted on a domain that is not
credit-agricole.fr. Legitimate bank communications are on official domains. - Unsolicited activation request: Crédit Agricole does not send links requiring customers to “activate” SécuriPass via external pages.
- Threat of immediate consequences: The warning of a “banking ban” is a classic fear tactic.
- No personalization: The message does not address the victim by name or reference a specific account.
- Vague deadline: The mention of a specific date (31 December 2022) is used to create a false sense of urgency, but legitimate security updates are communicated through official channels, not unsolicited emails.
What to do if you encounter this:
- Do not click the activation button or any links.
- Access your Crédit Agricole account by typing
credit-agricole.frdirectly into your browser or using the official mobile app. - If you have already clicked and entered credentials, contact Crédit Agricole immediately to secure your account.
- Report the phishing page to Crédit Agricole’s fraud team (
[email protected]).
Protective measures:
- Always type your bank’s website address manually. Never click links in unsolicited emails or messages.
- Enable SécuriPass through the official app – legitimate activation happens within the app or after logging in, not via email links.
- Be suspicious of any message that creates urgency, threatens negative consequences, and asks you to click a link.