Westpac moves on fraudsters, tips future industry cooperation - News - Security

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Westpac moves on fraudsters, tips future industry cooperation

By Patrick Gray, 0
August 27, 2003
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Westpac-moves-on-fraudsters-tips-future-industry-cooperation/0,130061744,120277796,00.htm

Westpac has begun a public education campaign designed to alert users to the risks associated with e-mail Internet banking scams.

The first wave of the campaign was an e-mail sent out to Westpac customers describing threats and tips for avoiding being burned by the scams. "Never provide personal or security related details, including our 8 digit customer ID or your password in response to an e-mail, even if it appears to have originated from Westpac," it read.

"Do not go to the Westpac Internet Banking sign in page from a link in an email. Always log in directly from your browser.... This way you will avoid being sent to a false site."

A Westpac spokesman told ZDNet Australia the campaign will use a "number of channels" to inform users, including newspaper advertisements and "a range of other communications over the next few days".

The idea of the banking industry as a whole tackling the issue head on is being bounced around at the moment, the spokesman said. "There are active discussions at the Australian Bankers Association because this is an industry-wide issue."

They key, he says, is convincing people the bank will never solicit a request for sensitive information by e-mail. "[Our customers] should never, ever provide their security details for Internet banking based on an e-mail," the spokesman said.