GozoNews.Com

Bank of Valletta has warned that, over the past few days, a number of customers have received a fraudulent email, purporting to be from the Bank of Valletta, requesting them to visit a website through a link in the email “to re-activate their Online Services”.

This email was sent through a technique known as Phishing - a form of online fraud and identity theft in which a malicious third party attempts to try to convince customers to visit a counterfeit bank website to steal identity data and financial information. Such sites are designed to mimic authentic bank websites so as to lure the visitor in thinking that he is actually logged on to the bank’s genuine site.

Bank of Valletta said that it has taken immediate steps to disable the fraudulent website linked to these emails.

The Bank wishes to remind its customers that it will never request 24×7 login credentials, Pins or credit card details through email, telephone or other means of communication.

The Bank stated that there could be more scams in the future to lure customers in surrendering such information to a third party. It said that customers should remember never to follow links directly from emails but to type the Bank’s url, i.e. www.bov.com..., directly on their web browser when they wish to visit the BOV website.

The Bank added that the BOV SecureKey provides its internet banking customers with a secure authentication mechanism. However, customers should always be vigilant and observe standard information security precautions. These include never writing down or disclosing their PIN to anyone under any circumstance.

For more information, customers may contact BOV’s Customer Service Centre on telephone 21312020.