Protect Yourself From Email Fraud

Email fraud (or 'phishing') is a new fact of life in this computer-based communication age. You don't have to be a victim. Take the following steps when you receive suspicious email claiming to be from a bank.

Question
Be skeptical about any email message that reaches you claiming to be from a bank. If you are uncertain as to the legitimacy of an email, contact the bank at a phone number, email address or website address that you know to be legitimate and question the bank about the email.

Don't take the bait
Never send personal and/or financial information by email.

Report
Banks and other companies need your help to shut down email fraudsters and fraudulent websites. By reporting any fraudulent emails you receive to the bank, you can help us prevent other people from falling for email fraud. If you have provided your personal information in response to a fraudulent email, you should immediately report it to your bank and to your local police.

Delete
The best way to protect yourself from email fraud is not to respond. Once you've reported the fraudulent email, delete it. Do not reply to or click on any link provided in the email.

Stay safe from email attacks
Protect your home computer using anti-spam, anti-spyware and anti-virus software and make sure they are always up to date. Install a personal firewall to act as a barrier to viruses and other external attacks and check for operating system patches and upgrades on a regular basis.