Security Centre | Ulster Bank

We’ve seen an increase in criminals exploiting the coronavirus and using this as part of their scam tactics.

Don’t fall victim by looking out for the following:

Impersonation scams and emails offering health updates or cures

Scammers are sending out emails that look like they come from trusted organisations, like the World Health Organisation (WHO).  An attachment in the email claims to provide safety measures to combat coronavirus but opening it actually infects your device with malware that monitors your online activity and captures your information.

Claims you are due to receive a tax refund

Criminals are bombarding mailboxes with emails saying you’re entitled to a tax refund due to coronavirus – but it’s a trick.  HMRC will never contact you by email to discuss tax refunds, so don’t click or respond.  Report emails like this to phishing@HMRC.gov.uk

Purchase scams

Watch out for emails, ads, posts, texts or phone calls advertising anything to do with coronavirus – whether it’s for facemasks, vaccines or access to testing kits – any deals that look too good to be true usually are.  These approaches are very likely to be a scammer trying to get their hands on your money or personal details – make sure you don’t give them what they want.

Offers to make quick money 

There has been a huge increase in criminals trying to lure people into becoming money mules through ‘get rich quick’ job offers during these uncertain times. If a job ad looks too good to be true – it probably is and the personal consequences of allowing criminals to pay money through your account can be life-changing.  Reject any offers of cash to let someone else use your bank account, it’s simply not worth it!

Always remember:

Stay alert to suspicious phone calls, texts or emails from anyone claiming to be from the bank or other trusted organisations. We’ll never ask you to share your full PIN, password, card reader code, one time passcode or to move money from your account.

Never download attachments, software or let anyone remotely log into your computer following a call or email you’ve received out of the blue

If you are ever asked to do any of these things, refuse and contact us immediately using the number on the back of your card or a number you trust. If possible, call us back from a different phone or mobile.

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Whether you’re paying a company, a friend or your dog walker, you want to be confident the payment you’re making is sent to the right person.

That’s why we’re introducing Confirmation of Payee (CoP); a name checking service that checks the name of the account holder you intend to pay - along with the sort code, account number and account type (Personal or Business) - against the details held for that account, giving you greater confidence you’re paying the right person.

While many UK banks will be introducing CoP, they may launch this service at different times. So it’s also really important anyone who needs to pay money into your account knows your first and last name as it appears on your bank account.

Why are we doing this?

Our priority is to keep your money safe and secure. We’re introducing this name checking service to help protect you from so called “authorised push payment” scams. These are scams where people are tricked into sending money to criminals, who often pretend to be people they are not. It will also help avoid simple mistakes like mis-typing account details when you set up a new payment

How does this work?

When you set up a new payment using online banking or the mobile app, the account holder’s name will be checked against the account details held with their bank. We’ll then tell you if the details you’ve entered match, giving you more confidence you’re paying the right person

Find out more

Top tips to protect yourself:

1. Don’t get caught out buying online – we all love a bargain but be vigilant when buying from social media and online marketplaces. Always do your research on the seller and If a deal seems too good to be true it probably is and could be a scam.   Always do your research on the seller and Check the contact details on the website, if there is no geographical address given or phone number this is an indication that the site may not be genuine.  Be aware of sites pertaining to be in the uk by using a web address finishing .co.uk but they are actually located abroad.
2. Use secure websites – always look for the padlock symbol and “https” in the web address to make sure it’s a secure connection.   However, remember a secure page does not mean the retailer is reputable.
3. Always use a safe way to pay - like your debit or credit card. Don’t transfer money directly. When making online purchases, NEVER PAY BY DIRECT BANK TRANSFER, this is the same as handing over cash and you have NO protection.  No matter what the reason the seller gives for wanting payment in this way refuse as Fraudsters often concoct stories to try to persuade you to transfer your money to a bank account instead of paying by another method – be suspicious of anyone asking you to do this.
4. Don’t give anyone your full details – Scammers are really convincing. If anyone, even someone claiming to be from the bank, Police or another organisation you trust gets in touch and asks for information such as login details, passcodes, card reader codes, remote access to your device or tells you to transfer money from your account – don’t do it, it’s a scam..
5. Don’t open unexpected emails from anyone you don’t know - Scammers may send you emails or texts which look to include a gift, but actually include viruses.  You should never be asked for personal information like passwords or account information by email. If in doubt, do not click on any links or download files.
6. Get in touch with us if you’re ever unsure something is genuine- Call us using the number from the back of your card or from our website

We’re committed to helping you stay safe and secure online and are continuously investing in new fraud prevention tools and the latest security technology to keep you protected online.

That’s why we’re offering Malwarebytes Premium to our customers free of charge (it’s worth £49.99) until at least May 2022. Malwarebytes Premium is an anti-virus security software solution  that protects your PC tablet and phone from malicious software.  It’s available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Chrome OS devices and you can protect up to 10 of your devices.

Protect your online and mobile devices for free with the latest software.

Find out more

Keeping your money safe and secure is at the heart of everything we do so we’ll be checking it’s really you more often – and not someone pretending to be you.

What does this mean?  When you buy something online or use Anytime Banking you’ll sometimes be asked to provide a one time passcode (OTP). This passcode is sent to your mobile phone by text and you’ll need it to complete your transaction.  All banks must do this as part of new regulations designed to improve the security of your purchases and reduce fraud.  It is sometimes referred to as Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).

Remember that you should never disclose your OTP to anyone, even someone who claims to be calling from the bank – we will never ask you disclose these codes to us over the phone.

Learn more

Fraudsters send spoof text messages and emails to try and get your personal information. These messages may well have been doctored so that they appear to come from a genuine Bank number or email ID. They usually contain links which lead to websites asking you to enter your Anytime Banking login information or other personal information.

We recommend you follow these simple steps to help stay secure:

Never give your full Anytime Banking PIN, full password or card reader codes to anyone

 

Never respond to suspicious emails or text messages

 

Be cautious when clicking links, Our text messages may contain links to our websites, but, like our emails, never link to pages that ask for any online banking or full card details.

 

If you’re in doubt about the authenticity of a message from us, please contact us immediately