Common frauds

Online banking is a safe way to manage your money, but you need to be on your guard against Internet fraudsters. The list below details some of the most common fraudulent activities:

Spoof websites and email scams (known as Phishing)

Fraudsters create authentic looking, but false or 'spoof' websites. Their purpose is to tempt users to enter personal information such as passwords and memorable information. This information will be re-used to access your bank accounts.

Throughout this year, some of our customers have received fraudulent emails asking them to confirm information such as Internet banking or Telephone banking User IDs, Passwords and Memorable Information. These are not genuine emails.

If you receive such an email, please do not access any link contained within it or provide any Internet banking or Telephone banking log on details, as Lloyds TSB would never send emails asking for this information. If you doubt the authenticity of any email you receive that alleges to be from Lloyds TSB, or suspect that any of your Lloyds TSB accounts have been compromised, contact us immediately on 0845 3000 116 (+44 20 7649 9437 from overseas).

Click here to view email scam examples.

Email scams that claim to offer you additional income

This scam involves a third party asking you to receive or pay funds into your account on the understanding that you then transfer the funds on to another account or overseas. In return, they offer you a commission - however you will not receive payment for your involvement and as a result of any participation you may have, you will automatically become involved in subsequent Police investigations.

Email scams that claim you have won a Lottery prize

This scam involves a third party making contact to advise that you have won a substantial amount of money in a lottery draw. If you reply the third party then asks you for bank account details and other such personal information to allow for the funds to be transferred to you, occasionally they may also ask for you to arrange payment of a handling fee. Please be aware that these scenarios are not genuine and you will lose any money you pay and your personal information may be used in other fraud.

Advance fee or '419 Fraud'

These are unsolicited letters and emails offering the recipient a generous reward for helping to move a large balance of funds, usually in US Dollars. These funds claim to be anything from corporate profits/accumulated bribes/unspent Government funds to unclaimed funds from a deceased person.

The fraudsters are after your banking details. The transactions typically require the recipient to pay a fee/tax/bribe to complete the deal - this is the advance fee, such fees will be lost.

Virus hoax emails

It's a sad fact of life that there are those who enjoy exploiting the concerns of others. Many emailed warnings about viruses are hoaxes, designed to cause concern and disrupt businesses. Such warnings may be genuine, so don't take them lightly, but always check the story out by visiting an anti-virus site before forwarding them to friends and colleagues.

Suspicious phone calls

Across the financial services industry a number of customers have received telephone calls from individuals claiming to be from a card scheme (i.e. Visa or MasterCard). The caller then persuades the customer to give information about their credit card, including the security code found on the back of the card.

Lloyds TSB and Visa/Mastercard do not contact credit card customers direct neither do they ask for any security information regarding cards.

If you receive a telephone call like this you shouldn't respond to it, nor should you give the caller any of the card security information they ask for.