DAVID, from Stowmarket, says: "I received an email from Barclays Bank telling me there had been some suspicious activity on my account and asking me to verify my account password by clicking on a website. Although it looked genuine, Barclays said it was not from them and it was a fraud attempt. Please warn others."
The email David describes and others like it are fraudulent and all too common. They look like the real thing and often have corporate logos and images copied from the genuine websites of banks and building societies.
I have recently been sent fake Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Nat West, and even Wells Fargo Bank emails asking me to verify my account details.
The objective of all these emails is to get you to visit a bogus website to 'verify' your user name and password.
However, as soon as the fraudsters have those two pieces of information they will empty your bank account.
Beware of any email asking you to confirm banking details or passwords for bank accounts – genuine banks never contact customers to ask for this information by email. If you are concerned about your account, do not click on a link provided in an email sent to you.
Always close that email and sign on at the main bank website yourself to check your account or telephone your branch.
Contacting NickNick Plumb is an independent financial adviser. Send your questions to Nick at Bright Financial Planning, 58 Station Road, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2SP, email them to
nickplumb@aol.com or telephone Nick on 01449 675674.
Nick's answers to reader questions in this column are provided only as a general guide and do not constitute personal financial advice. For any readers requiring specific advice on their own circumstances, Nick is happy to offer a complimentary initial meeting.
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