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TD BankNorth Warns Customers of Phishing Attempt

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Bogus Emails Could Infect Computers; Steal Information
June 20, 2008 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

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Less than a month after TD BankNorth customers in New Hampshire were alerted by the bank that their Visa debit or credit cards may have been compromised (See: Hannaford Data Breach: TD BankNorth Cards Compromised) comes news of a phishing email scam against the bank's customers. The bank, headquartered in Portland, ME, has $119 billion in assets and 1,100 locations on the east coast.

TD BankNorth is warning customers about an email scam that could infect computers. The email messages say the notes are from TD BankNorth's President and Chief Executive Officer Bharat Masrani. The email asks for personal information. The bank says clicking on a link in the note probably infects a customer's computer with a program that sends their information to the hacker.

Jennifer Carlson, spokesperson for TD BankNorth, says the bank has "no way of knowing for sure how many customers received the email, since it wasn't sent by us."

Carlson also notes that the bank does not know yet where the emails were sent from, "But we are aware of the scam and are working with law enforcement agencies to investigate and shut it down."

The bank posted an alert on its web site home page on June 4 after reporting the emails to law enforcement agencies. The bank declined to say whether customer information or money were taken as a result of people responding to the phishing email.

Carlson says TD BankNorth advises recipients of this email to not follow instructions or take any action as requested in the email. "Instead report suspicious emails to our Phishing and ID Theft Hotline," Carlson says. The bank's hotline for anyone who receives one of these emails to call: 1-800-893-8554.

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TD Banknorth is headquartered in Portland, Maine, and owned by TD Bank Financial Group of Toronto, Canada. Following TD Bank Financial Group's acquisition of Commerce Bancorp Inc. in March, it was announced that operations of TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank will be combined under the brand name TD Commerce Bank. Today, TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank have over $119 billion in assets under management, operating nearly 1,100 locations from Maine to Florida.






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