An apparently routine bank transfer resulted in a loss of around 25,000 euros for a businessman from Trás-os-Montes, in a case that raises doubts about the security of home banking operations and the response of financial institutions to situations of computer fraud. The episode involves a Novo Banco customer and the institution points to the possible existence of a “malicious virus” in the equipment used.
According to the newspaper Correio da Manhã, Nelson Carvalho, owner of a gas and feed distribution company in Torre de D. Chama, in the municipality of Mirandela, was making a transfer to a supplier when the situation occurred.
According to the same source, only days later he realized that the amount transferred had not reached the recipient, and a change in the destination IBAN was detected, without any prior alert to the customer.
Other transfers that the businessman denies
The newspaper writes that this was not the first sign of irregularities in the account, as a previous transfer of almost 5,000 euros had already been identified, which Nelson Carvalho claims he never made.
The publication adds that, after contacting the bank, several additional transfer attempts were identified, of which the businessman says he was not aware or received security notifications.
The same source states that Novo Banco attributed the situation to a possible “malicious virus”, arguing that the operations had been carried out with valid authorizations from the customer. The businessman disputes this version and explains that he ordered the computer used in the operations to be analyzed and that “nothing was found”, also guaranteeing that he never received any request for validation or confirmation.
A case that may not be isolated
The same newspaper highlights that there is at least another businessman who was injured in similar circumstances, with losses of around 10,000 euros, although he chose not to make public statements.
The existence of more than one known case reinforces concerns surrounding the security of digital banking platforms, especially in a business context.
Safety rules to take into account
According to the Banco de Portugal website, users must always confirm whether the financial institution is authorized to provide banking or payment services in Portugal before carrying out any operation.
It is also essential to access the institution’s email address directly, check that it starts with https://, avoid links in emails and never disclose confidential access data to the home banking service.
According to the same source, after carrying out banking operations or online purchases, customers must keep records and regularly check account movements to detect any irregularities.
Banco de Portugal adds that, if fraud is suspected, immediate contact with the banking institution and reporting to the authorities are essential steps to limit losses and determine responsibilities.
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