Financial Services > e-banking > Banking news
Online Banking Fraud Rises

Wed, 10 Mar 2010

New figures from the UK Card Association have revealed an increase in levels of online banking fraud . The organisation revealed a 16 per cent increase in the number of 'phishing' attacks, which rose to 51,000 last year. The amount obtained by fraudulent methods rose similarly, up by 14 per cent to £59.7 million in 2009.

Phishing scams occur when current account or savings account holders are targeted by criminals, who send emails purportedly from the customer's bank, requesting personal information including bank passwords on a bogus website. The implantation of spying software known as 'malware' is also responsible for some of the fraud, allowing criminals to track website use and obtain passwords. Many of the criminal gangs involved are believed to be from Eastern Europe and China .

Banks have defended their security measures, instead blaming consumers for succumbing to the scams, or for having insufficient antivirus software . The defiance of banks has been undermined by research published by consumer group Which? last year, which found that some banks failed to protect customers sufficiently.

The new figures also revealed a shift away from traditional fraud, with fraud losses on credit cards down by 28 per cent to £440.3 million.
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