| I am sure everyone has received an email advising | | | | No bank or other financial institution would ever ask |
| them that their bank has introduced some new | | | | you to enter these details on an email. |
| security method which requires them to enter | | | | If in any doubt carry out the following: |
| passwords and other security details into a web page | | | | - Never put passwords into an email (email is not |
| or face discontinuation of a service. | | | | secure) |
| This is called phishing and is usually carried out by | | | | - If asked to click on a link, hover your mouse over |
| criminals to persuade innocent victims to give away | | | | then link and see if the link is the same as the hover |
| information that they may use to gain access to bank | | | | information |
| accounts, credit card accounts or other financial | | | | - If possible type in the web information you hold |
| accounts. | | | | already for your bank |
| It usually starts with an email | | | | - On a bank website look for the closed padlock |
| 'The xyz bank has recently upgraded its security | | | | symbol which shows that the site is secure |
| systems to make your account more secure and to | | | | - If it looks at all suspicious don't do anything with it |
| protect your account from unauthorized access. To | | | | - Forward the email to your bank for them to deal with |
| ensure that these new security measures are applied | | | | it |
| to your account you must change your password. | | | | - Telephone your bank and ask if the email is genuine |
| Click on the link If you click on the link you are taken to | | | | - If you have been fooled and do enter information into |
| a web-site which looks remarkably like the web-site | | | | a phishing web-site contact your bank immediately and |
| for your bank, cheekily, it may even have a warning on | | | | them what you have done. This may mean that your |
| it that you should take care to make sure any | | | | account is frozen while action is taken. You will have |
| information you provide is secure. You are invited to | | | | to change passwords of course. |
| enter your security details. By doing this you have | | | | Phishing is the number one method at the moment for |
| provided the phisher with information to permit theft of | | | | fund generation by criminals. |
| your money. | | | | |