As more and more of us bank online, it’s important to be aware of potential scams. We’ve highlighted the tell-tale signs you need to look out for to help you stay safe.
An email notification pops up. At first glance, it’s your bank getting in touch about your account. But should you always trust what’s in your inbox?
Avoid falling victim to a scam and ask yourself these key questions:
1) Are you being asked to do something?
Your bank will never ask you to move your money to a different account. This is a common trick that scammers use to steal your money. They might claim that your account is at risk and you need to move your money to protect it. If you’re being asked to do this, you should report the email as spam.
Plus, your bank won’t ask you to share any sensitive details over email, like your PIN number or card details. They already have that information and won’t risk your security by asking you to send it over by email.
2) Is everything spelt correctly?
On the surface, a banking scam email might look convincing. However, many scam emails have typos or use odd spellings to fool your spam filter.
It’s always worth double-checking your emails for any typos or unusual grammar before you click any links or reply. It’s also worth paying attention to the tone of the email – if the email sounds urgent or desperate, it’s not your bank talking.
3) What’s the branding like?
A scam or ‘phishing’ email is designed to trick you into sending sensitive details or click a link that installs malware on your computer. To fool you into thinking the email is legitimate, the scammer will use the the right logos and branding of a bank.
Take a closer look and the branding might look a little funny. Compare it to another email from the company – that you know is official – and see if there’s any difference in appearance.
3) Can you trust the sender details?
Scammers can change the name of the email to make it appear like the name of a bank or trusted company. However, when you click on the sender name (ie. from ‘Natwest Customer Service’), you can see the real email address.
A scam email often has a nonsense email address hidden behind a genuine sender name. If the email address isn’t related to the bank or looks suspicious, it’s probably a scam.
4) Are the links suspicious?
It’s important to never click on a link from an email you’re not sure is legitimate. However, you can check to see if any weblinks are genuine by simply hovering your cursor over the link. The website’s URL will appear at the bottom left side of your screen.
If the ‘contact us’ details aren’t clickable or if the URL seems suspicious, don’t click on it.
5) Are you being rushed?
Scammers will try and make you feel panicked into making a quick decision. If you feel pressured to act quickly, you could be reading a scam email.
A scam email will often include a deadline or time limit pressuring you to move your money or supply your financial details. It’s deliberately designed to rush you into making a decision without thinking things through.
It always pays to check
If you’re not totally convinced an email is genuine, it’s always worth checking. You can phone your bank using the number supplied on their official website to check whether they sent the email. Remember, if you’re not sure about the email, never click on any links or respond to it.
Once you’ve sent money to a scammer, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever recover your finances – so it always pays to check before you click.
