what should I be aware of?

How to protect yourself online		What should I be aware of?
Security FAQ		Security glossary

When banking online it is important that you are aware of the following scams.

Our new online demos will help you find out all you need to know about three security hot topics.

Online demos Top threats explained: Phishing Trojans Viruses

bank safe online For more information on protecting yourself when banking online visit Bank Safe Online

Fraudulent e-mails (also known as phishing)

A number of fraudulent e-mails have recently been in circulation which look like they are from your bank and ask customers to provide their online login details by clicking on a link to a fake website. These e-mails are scams used by fraudsters in an attempt to obtain money from our customers' accounts. We would never ask for your confidential login details in this way. If you have received such an e-mail, it is important that you do not access any links within it, disclose your login details or reply to it.

Please forward any suspicious e-mails to onlineinvestigations@sainsburysbank.co.uk

Trojans

Trojans are used by fraudsters to gain access to an individual's PC and record their activities on the internet without their knowledge. Information such as personal login details for online banking can be recorded in the following ways:

• By recording the keys you press on your keyboard
• By copying images displayed on your screen - including online application forms.
  

These details can then be used to fraudulently access online bank accounts. We would never ask for your confidential login details in a pop-up window or dialogue box. Please do not complete your sign in details in a format which appears different to our standard sign in page.

Extra income e-mail scam

Fraudsters are attempting to recruit 'Financial Agents' on recruitment websites or by e-mail, offering payment for the receipt and transfer of funds overseas using online bank accounts. We advise you to act with caution when dealing with any communications from unknown parties, in particular e-mails or ads which appear suspicious and contain spelling and grammatical mistakes.

You should be aware that funds used in these scams are usually the proceeds of fraud. If you participate in such a scheme you will become involved in a police investigation and we may close any account involved.

Spam and how to avoid it

Please be assured that Sainsbury's Bank will never pass your email address onto any other company or individual. To minimise receiving spam emails it is recommended to avoid the following:

• Putting your email address on a newsgroup, messageboard or personal web page.
• Signing up for a newsletter from a dishonest website, which sells the email addresses of its subscribers to another person or organisation.

Spyware

The term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious software that is installed on your computer, often without your proper consent. This software can be designed to collect personal information about a user, track websites a user visits or change the configuration of your computer.

Some versions simply display advertising in the form of popups while more malicious versions can try to record what a user types to try to intercept passwords or credit card numbers.

Downloading games, pictures, screensavers etc. from dubious sites can cause spyware to be installed on your computer. Certain popups which appear when visiting websites can also install spyware.

The following tips can help prevent spyware from infecting your computer:

• Download and install anti-spyware software such as Microsoft's free anti-spyware program, Windows Defender (for Windows users)
• Keep the software on your computer up to date.
• Only download and install programs from websites you trust.
• Read security information, privacy statements and license agreements when installing downloaded software.
• Do nok click 'OK' or 'I Agree' on popups on the internet unless you know what you are agreeing to.
  

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