PHISHING

As a Bidvest Bank customer it is extremely important that you make sure that you only access our website through our two unique web addresses: http://www.bidvestbank.co.za/ or http://www.bidvestbank.com/

Never access the site via a link. Rather type the address into your web browser or save the address as a 'Favourite'.

Recently computer criminals have been phishing for our, along with the majority of other financial institutions, customers information by trying to direct you, through phoney and misleading e-mails, to sites with similar web addresses to our two official web addresses above.

In computing, phishing is a criminal activity that uses social engineering techniques - phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business in an electronic communication.

Phishing is typically carried out using e-mail or an instant message, although phone contact has been used as well.

The term phishing is a variant of the verb "fishing", and alludes to the use of increasingly sophisticated lures to "fish" for users' financial information and passwords.

• Demands you enter personal information directly into the e-mail or submit that information some other way
• Threatens to close or suspend your account if you do not immediately submit personal information
• Invites you take part in a survey where you are asked to enter personal information
• Informs you that your account has been compromised or that there's been third-party activity on your account, and then demands you enter or confirm your account information
• Asks you to enter your User ID, password or account numbers into an e-mail or non-secure web page
• Asks you to confirm, verify, or refresh your account, or address information
• The vital thing to remember is not to interact with the sender of the e-mail, and on no account enter any of your personal or account details. Bidvest Bank would never ask for sensitive information via e-mail