Online Banking Fraud

How to Prevent Online Banking Fraud

To help avoid online scams you should:

• Always be suspicious of e-mails that are supposedly from your bank or from another bank that you do not deal with.
• Make sure your home computer has a security programme and virus protection.
• Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed; consider using anti-spyware software.
• Download the latest security updates, known as patches, for your browser
  and for your operating system (e.g. Windows).
• Be wary of unsolicited requests for personal financial information.
  Keep passwords and PINs safe; always be wary of unsolicited e-mails or calls asking you to disclose any personal details or card numbers. Your bank, building society or the police would never contact you to ask you to disclose your PIN.

As additional preventative measures when banking online, you are encouraged to:

• Ensure your browser is set to the highest level of security notification and monitoring. The safety options are not always activated by default when
  you install your computer.
• Be particularly security-conscious if you are using a public computer
  or public Wi-Fi internet connection.
• Know who you are dealing with – always access internet banking sites by typing the bank’s address into your web browser. Never go to a website from a link in an e-mail and then enter personal details, as the email could be fraudulent.
  

For more advice visit www.banksafeonline.org.uk