Have you received an email with the subject “Capital One Card Temporarily Locked”, claiming that your Capital One card is under review because of some unusual activity?
Question: Is this email from Capital One, and should you follow its instructions?
Investigation Findings: This email is a scam that falsely claims your card has been locked. It directs you to a phishing site to steal your personal information.
Answer: This is a fraudulent email. 💡 To protect yourself from scams like this, do not click on any links or enter personal information. Always verify suspicious emails by contacting Capital One directly using official contact details. Additionally, keep an eye on your account for any unusual transactions.
A typical “Capital One – Card Purchase Is Under Review” scam email reads as follows:
Subject: Capital One Card Temporarily Locked
Capital One
Your Capital One® Card Purchase is Under Review.Dear xxxxx,
Our Fraud Department has temporarily locked your Capital One card due to unusual activity detected on your account. Specifically, we have noticed an excessive number of purchases recently, which has triggered our security protocols.
Review Your Card Activity
Complete all verification process
Once you’ve done this your account will be removed from the restricted accounts automatically
Thanks for choosing Capital One.
Scam overview
The Capital One – Card Purchase Is Under Review Email is a scam that targets Capital One users. This fake email claims that your Capital One card has been temporarily locked due to unusual activity. It urges you to click a link to review your card’s activity and unlock your account.
This email is not from Capital One. Instead, it’s a phishing scam designed to steal your personal information. When you click the link, it directs you to a bogus website that looks like Capital One’s sign-in page. Any information you enter there goes straight to the scammers.
💡 If you get an email like this, do not click any links or enter your details. To keep your account safe, delete the email immediately. If you’re worried about your account, visit Capital One’s website directly or contact their customer service using the information on their official site.
Summary Table
| Name | Capital One Card Purchase Is Under Review Email Scam |
| Type | Email Phishing Scam |
| Targets | Capital One card users |
| Method | Fake email with a link to a phishing site |
| Objective | Steal personal and banking information |
📧 What to Do When You Receive the “Capital One – Card Purchase Is Under Review” Scam Email
We advise everyone who receives this email to follow the simple steps below to protect yourself from potential scams:
- ❌ Do not believe this email.
- 🔒 NEVER share your personal information and login credentials.
- 📎 Do not open unverified email attachments.
- 🚫 If there’s a link in the scam email, do not click it.
- 🔍 Do not enter your login credentials before examining the URL.
- 📣 Report the scam email to the FTC at www.ftc.gov.
If you accidentally click a phishing link or button in the “Capital One – Card Purchase Is Under Review” Email, suspect that your computer is infected with malware, or simply want to scan your computer for threats, use one of the free malware removal tools. Additionally, consider taking the following steps:
- 🔑 Change your passwords: Update passwords for your email, banking, and other important accounts.
- 🛡️ Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
- 📞 Contact your financial institutions: Inform them of any suspicious activity.
- 🔄 Monitor your accounts: Keep an eye on your bank statements and credit reports for any unusual activity.
🔍 How to Spot a Phishing Email
Phishing emails often share common characteristics; they are designed to trick victims into clicking on a phishing link or opening a malicious attachment. By recognizing these signs, you can detect phishing emails and prevent identity theft:
💡 Here Are Some Ways to Recognize a Phishing Email
- ✉️ Inconsistencies in Email Addresses: The most obvious way to spot a scam email is by finding inconsistencies in email addresses and domain names. If the email claims to be from a reputable company, like Amazon or PayPal, but is sent from a public email domain such as “gmail.com”, it’s probably a scam.
- 🔠 Misspelled Domain Names: Look carefully for any subtle misspellings in the domain name, such as “arnazon.com” where the “m” is replaced by “rn,” or “paypa1.com,” where the “l” is replaced by “1.” These are common tricks used by scammers.
- 👋 Generic Greetings: If the email starts with a generic “Dear Customer”, “Dear Sir”, or “Dear Madam”, it may not be from your actual shopping site or bank.
- 🔗 Suspicious Links: If you suspect an email may be a scam, do not click on any links. Instead, hover over the link without clicking to see the actual URL in a small popup. This works for both image links and text links.
- 📎 Unexpected Attachments: Email attachments should always be verified before opening. Scan any attachments for viruses, especially if they have unfamiliar extensions or are commonly associated with malware (e.g., .zip, .exe, .scr).
- ⏰ Sense of Urgency: Creating a false sense of urgency is a common tactic in phishing emails. Be wary of emails that claim you must act immediately by calling, opening an attachment, or clicking a link.
- 📝 Spelling and Grammar Errors: Many phishing emails contain spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Professional companies usually proofread their communications carefully.
- 🔒 Requests for Sensitive Information: Legitimate organizations typically do not ask for sensitive information (like passwords or Social Security numbers) via email.
✅ Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand more about the “Capital One – Card Purchase Is Under Review” Scam Email and how to avoid falling victim to scammers. If you have received a phishing email that is similar but not identical to the example above, please post it in the comments section of this article. This helps us warn other users about potential scams and improve our resources to protect you better. Stay safe and vigilant! 🛡️
