NatWest 'security update' scam email: how to stay safe

Rights, Scams and Politics

Updated on 18 September 2017 | 9 Comments

NatWest ‘security update’ scam takes you through to a site with a padlock and approved security certificate.

Scammers have set up a ‘NatWest’ page that contains convincing security features, Action Fraud is warning.

The scam starts with the typical email tactic, warning customers of a security update that needs to be carried out by clicking on a link.

However, the scam gets interesting, or rather worrying, because it actually takes victims through to a 'https' page that contains a padlock and a legitimate SSL certificate, which is a security protocol used by many businesses.

Although this particular example targets NatWest customers, it’s likely scammers have created variants for other high street rivals, so it’s worth being on your guard regardless of who you bank with.

How to tell it’s fake

As you can see from the tweet below, the real telltale sign you’re on a scam site is that the url string contains the word ‘natwiest’ rather than ‘natwest’.

It seems obvious when pointed out like this, but it’s entirely possible it would be missed if you thought you were logging into your banking as usual.

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While the above shows you the fake website, below is an example of how the dodgy email looks.

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A padlock doesn’t mean you’re safe!

This is a worrying new development, as people often mistake signs like the padlock and https in the url as an indication that a site is official, or secure.

It’s stating that the connection is secure. So, in this instance, it just means that other scammers won’t be able to get in on the act of stealing your details!

As always, if you receive an email claiming to be from your bank calling on you to take any action, never click on any links.

Close it down, look up their contact details (ideally from an existing statement) and ask for further information that way.

Think you may have fallen for a scam? Check your credit report today

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