JaBbA's Hut

Back in April, I called Household Bank to warn them about some strange emails that I thought MIGHT be phishing schemes, but the Security person I talked to told me the Marketing department wasn't consulting them, and was sending out these emails. He said they were talking to them about it.

Well, they're not listening. I just got this one stuck in my queues. Not only is it an HTML email with links to log in, but those links track who you are, and connect to a different address than they claim - although the links SAY www.housholdbank.com, but connect to ebusiness1.householdaccount.com - once again training the user to accept differences like that.

It gets worse.

At the bottom of the email, there are 2 "img" tags that aren't images at all.

<img src="http://ebusiness.householdaccount.com/9999999.999999.9.-2" WIDTH="1" HEIGHT="1">

These are server-side scripts that set cookies to track when and how you read the email. Whatever privacy policies they have must have huge loopholes to allow them to track you like this.

JaBbA says call and complain, if you have a Household Bank account. 1-800-771-7339.

*UPDATE* Just a couple hours later, I don't believe it. Now an eBay loan, provided by 'Household', but the link points to....

householdauto.com

And yes, the fake images that actually track whether you read the email are in there too.