Email Fraud or ‘Phishing’

Email fraud, or ‘phishing’ as it is commonly known, is a technique used by fraudsters to collect a user’s personal information. Phishing involves the sending of an email that appears to come from a financial institution and contains a website link.

The website link directs the user to a false webpage, where they are asked to enter personal banking information i.e. Online Banking log on details, or credit card details. The false webpage is usually a very good replica of the real page. Alternatively, clicking on the link in the email may trigger a virus download onto the user’s computer. Both actions allow the fraudsters access to the user’s financial information that they can then use to make payments.

The National Bank will never send you an email asking you to provide personal banking information.

If you have received a suspicious email, do not respond. If you have already responded and think that your Online Banking access may have been compromised, please take the following action immediately:

• Log on to Online Banking and change your password immediately. You can do this by going to the 'Change Online Banking Password' link under 'Your Profile'. We recommend that you first return to your home page and either retype in the Bank's website address yourself or use a bookmark that you have previously saved in your 'Favourites' file.
• Contact our Online Banking Helpdesk on 0800 49 50 51 (personal customers), or 0800 69 62 69 (business/rural customers). Overseas customers can phone us on +64 4 473 9880 (international toll charges will apply).

We recommend that you review the rest of the ‘Protect Your Banking’ site for further security tips.

Details of the latest Phishing email

If you receive this email or one like it, please delete it immediately from your inbox. Ensure you also delete it from your deleted items folder or bin.