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.
