How could fraudsters get hold of my data? | Triodos Bank (2024)

Money mules are people used to help launder money, often without realising that’s what they’re doing. They help move illegitimate funds (money gained illegally) between accounts so that the money then appears to be legitimate. They may be asked to receive money into their account, then withdraw it and put it into another account, sometimes in another country. Sometimes the money mules are offered compensation or commission.

Even if money mules don’t know the money they’re transferring is fraudulent, they are still committing fraud and money laundering, and could be sentenced to time in prison or to pay a fine.

Money mules are often recruited into this activity through false job adverts, or social media posts that promote quick money-making opportunities. Sometimes they are duped by fake social media profiles that pretend to want a romantic relationship with the victim to gain their trust and affection before asking this favour or blackmailing them. This is also known as romance fraud.

Never move money between accounts you don’t know and trust, especially because someone else has asked you to, or if you don’t know where that money has come from. If you are suspicious of money laundering, call us immediately on 0330 355 0355.

This is when fraudsters send fake invoices claiming to be from a real business you work with. Sometimes they hack the emails of your supplier to send the invoice, so the email address is genuine, but the payment details are changed to those owned by the fraudster. It’s sensible to call your suppliers on the number on their website to verify their payment details before you pay new account details for the first time.

Steps you can take to protect against invoice fraud:

• Check invoices carefully
  All staff who process supplier invoices and have the authority to change bank details should check supplier names, addresses, invoice amount and bank details to ensure they’re correct.
• Verify payment changes
  If a supplier asks to update their payment details, always verify it with them by calling the number on their website.
• Follow up invoice payments
  When you pay a supplier invoice, let the supplier know the payment has been made, confirming the amount and bank details paid into.
• Check bank statements carefully
  Report all suspicious debits to your bank immediately.
• Call suppliers back
  If you are suspicious about a phone request, say you’ll call the supplier back. Use the number published on their website or saved to your phone so you know it’s the genuine number you’re calling.
• Review public information about your suppliers
  Fraudsters often thoroughly research suppliers of organisations so that they can convincingly impersonate them. It may be a good idea to remove any information about your suppliers from your website and other public materials.

Vishing is where a fraudster uses voice messages or phone calls to try to steal identities, and financial information like your PIN, card details and Digipass code.

The term comes from the combination of ‘phishing’ and ‘voice’. Phishing is where fraudsters use email, regular phone calls and fake websites to dupe people into giving them personal details and financial information.

Vishing is specifically the use of a VOIP service (Voice Over Internet Protocol, or an internet phone service), which enables fraudsters to communicate with their potential victims via automated voice messages and the phone keypad.

Vishers can create fake caller ID profiles so that their phone number seems legitimate, and vishing requests sound urgent, to panic the victim into acting without thinking.

Examples of vishing:

• Your bank account has been compromised
  You receive call from what appears to be Triodos Bank’s phone number. When you answer, you hear a recording pretending to be from Triodos, saying that your bank account has been compromised, and you need to call a freephone number to reset your security details. Calling this number, you would hear another automated message asking for your bank account number, Digipass code or other personal details via the phone keypad.
• You’re eligible for a loan
  You are offered loan or credit terms too good to be true (they probably are), and to receive the money, you just need to pay an upfront fee or provide your security details.
• You’re due a refund
  You receive a message that says you are due a refund. This is usually someone claiming to be from a trusted organisation. If you opt in – usually by pressing a number on your telephone - you will be redirected to a call centre agent who will attempt to defraud you or steal your information.
• Don’t miss this investment opportunity
  An automated voice message tells you about an investment opportunity too good to turn down. You’ll be encouraged to transfer money to invest in a company or service that doesn’t exist.
• You’ve won a prize
  Victims hear an automated voice message about a free offer or prize, and just need to pay postage, redemption or admin fees to claim. There’s often a deadline to hurry people into handing over their card details.

What you can do

If you receive an unexpected phone call with an automated response, hang up, search for the company’s genuine contact details online and check whether the call was legitimate. If it was, the company will be able to help you, and if it was a vishing attempt, letting the company know enables them to take action, and you will have protected yourself from fraud.

If the call relates to an investment opportunity, check the FCA register to see if the investor is regulated, and confirm the company exists by checking Companies House.

How to report a vishing scam

If you think you have been a victim of a vishing attack, call us immediately on 0330 355 0355. Then report to the FCA using their reporting form.

If you have lost money to suspected investment fraud, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Bank impersonation fraud is when a fraudster impersonates someone from the bank in order to trick a victim into making payments to a fraudulent account.

What a fraudster might do:

• A fraudster usually calls their victim, though may use email or another contact method. It’s likely they already know information about the victim, including their name and who they bank with.
• While impersonating the bank staff member, the fraudster might tell the victim their account is under threat and they need to make payments to a “safe account” or set up payments in order to “block the funds”.
• The fraudster might ask for details from the Digipass so they can access the account and make payments to the fraudulent account themselves.
• The fraudster might ask the victim to download screen sharing software so they can view or control the victim’s computer. This can make it easier to take control of the account.
• In any scenario, the fraudster will foster a feeling of panic in order to get the victim to comply with their requests as quickly as possible.
• Fraudsters might also impersonate other well-known, trusted companies such as Microsoft, Apple, BT or HMRC.

What Triodos Bank will never do

• We’ll never call you to tell you to log into internet banking or to make a payment to a “safe account”. If we believe your account to be under threat, we can block the account ourselves and do not need you to do anything from your end.
• We’ll never ask you for your full Digipass number or your Digipass PIN.
• We’ll never ask you to download any software onto your PC or mobile phone.

What you can do to protect yourself

• Never give out your personal details to someone who has called you unexpectedly.
• Never download any software onto your PC or mobile phone when asked by someone over the phone or by email – even if you think you are speaking to a trusted organisation.
• Never give anyone your Digipass number or your Digipass PIN. Triodos will never ask for this information.
• Do not let someone else use your Digipass – even a colleague or family member. Your Digipass is assigned to you as an individual and must only be used by yourself. If you leave your place of work, please let us know and we can arrange for your Digipass to be cancelled.
• If you are unsure about someone who has called you claiming to be from the bank or another company, hang up and call back on the company’s published telephone number.

Phishing is a common type of internet fraud. Phishing emails are designed to appear as though they are from a legitimate source, but intend to steal personal information that can be used to access your account.

Do not respond to any email that asks for any information in relation to your internet banking log in details. If you have received a suspicious email, do not respond and call us if you need any further information.

Our opening hours are published on our help and support page.

• Move your money to a safe, secure holding account
  Fraudsters often call businesses pretending to be from their bank. They may ask you to move your money to a safe account because of suspected fraud or risk to your account. In reality, this ‘safe’ account is controlled by the fraudster. Hang up and report it to Action Fraud UK and your bank.
  
• Change the payment details of one of your suppliers
  Fraudsters often impersonate suppliers and ask businesses to pay into a new account – controlled by the fraudster. Check the caller is genuinely your supplier by calling back on the number on their website or, better still, by calling your direct contact at the company.
• Download something – software, a programme, app or other online tool
  Fraudsters may tell you there’s something wrong with your computer and it’s not secure. By downloading some software, they’ll be able to fix it for you. They might even offer you compensation or a refund for this inconvenience. In reality, the downloaded software could give them access to your computer. They may ask you to log in to your internet banking so they can issue your refund, when really they’re asking you to authorise payments into their own account. Triodos will never call you out of the blue and ask you to transfer money into another account, or download something onto your device.
• Tell them your Digipass codes
  Your Digipass codes give permission for money to leave your account. Never give these codes, no matter what they tell you. We will never ask you for these codes.
  

Fraudsters try getting money from organisations by sending fake emails and texts to gain access to their internet banking details. It can be difficult to spot a fraudulent email, but there are things you can check for clues it’s a fraudulent email.

• Check the sender email address
  Always check the sender’s email address to make sure it’s from the person you think. Fraudsters can change the ‘From’ name so it can look like it’s come from your bank, or a person’s name. If you hover over the name, the sender’s email address should be displayed. If it’s a company email address, an online search of the email address will often tell you if it’s a genuine address.
• Call the sender
  If you get an unusual request from someone you know, asking you to transfer money or download something onto your computer, and the email address looks genuine, there’s a possibility their email account was hacked. To be safe, it’s best to call them to make sure they sent the email and really made the request.
• Look for spelling mistakes
  Scam emails can often look odd, with a messy layout and spelling mistakes.

Common email and text scams to look out for:

• CEO fraud
  Fraudsters email employees pretending to be the owner or CEO of the organisation, asking them to make a payment or transfer.
• Supplier fraud
  Fraudsters pretend to be your supplier letting you know their payment details have changed.
• Invoice fraud
  Fraudsters send fake invoices claiming to be from a real business you work with. Sometimes they hack the emails of your supplier to send the invoice, so the email address is genuine, but the payment details are changed to those owned by the fraudster. It’s sensible to call your suppliers on the number on their website to verify their payment details before you pay new account details for the first time.
• Pretending to be a business
  In these messages, texts or emails, you might be asked to click a link that takes you to a fake website – for example, the website might claim to be the Triodos Bank website (See ‘How to check that a website is genuine’). On this site you could be asked to give your internet banking details. We will never send you a link to the login pages of internet banking.
• Spyware in links
  Some scam emails ask you to download something onto your computer or network – this could be a link to a website or an attachment. This tool could spy on your computer or lock you out until you pay a ransom or reveal your bank security details.
• Smishing (fraudulent text messages)
  These are text messages that appear to be from well-known businesses, claiming you need to click the link to update your details. Often the links are disguised with short links – like bitly links, e.g. https://bit.ly/2kwosxu. Tempting as it is to use the link, contact the company using the details on their website to verify that they sent the text, and that it’s safe to click on the link. Fraudsters will impersonate these companies to obtain your valuable information.
  

Do not respond to any email that asks you for information about your internet banking log in details. If you have received a suspicious email, do not respond and call our Contact Team as soon as you can during our opening hours on 0330 355 0355 to check if it is a genuine email.

Our opening hours are published on our help and support page.

No-one wants to imagine that one of their employees would commit fraud, but sometimes this happens. There are a few things you can do to protect your organisation:

• Never share your Digipass or PIN
  Digipasses are unique to each account operator, so if you allow someone else to use your Digipass it will be recorded as a payment authorised by you. If you have new staff or need to change an account operator, download the Business Banking change of account operator form and post it to Freepost TRIODOS BANK. We can set up each new staff member with their own Digipass and internet banking access. If you remove an account operator, please send the Digipass back to us.
  
• Employee checks
  Review your recruitment procedures and ensure you’ve got appropriate checks and references in place for candidates hoping to join your organisation, such as criminal record checks and references from previous employers. See the ACAS website for advice.
  
• Be aware of who has access to sensitive information
  Regularly check who can access important data and systems, such as customer or membership data, or financial information. When employees leave your organisation their access should be stopped. Access should only be given to employees who really need access to these systems or data.
• Create a whistleblowing policy
  This can support your employees to anonymously report suspicious activity they see in the organisation. Promote the policy so all staff feel confident and safe in reporting suspicious activity. For more advice on whistleblowing, see the gov.uk website.
  

• They have bigger account balances
• They have higher credit limits
• Making large payments regularly isn’t suspicious
• Information is often freely available on their website or on the internet

How to protect yourself:

1. Protect company information
   Don’t share anything about your business online or publicly that could put your organisation at risk. Write a policy for your staff that includes guidance around social media use. Educate your employees about business identity theft so that they know what to look out for, how to help avoid identity theft, how to spot it and how to report it to minimise the impact.
2. Regularly review accounts
   Regularly review all account statements, credit reports, and business registration information.
3. Install security or anti-fraud software
   Invest in software that can assess risks and help identify fraud or suspicious activity.

• Review who can authorise payments and how much
  Review your internet banking payment limits and authorisation in your internet banking or by calling us. Confirm how many people have a Digipass and access to your internet banking. A Digipass should never be shared - please request a Digipass for every individual who requires access to internet banking. What levels of authorisation do payments need? Decide if you want two people to authorise a payment over a certain amount to ensure each payment is double checked. We can set this up to suit your needs.
• Create a training schedule
  Regularly educate your employees about fraud risks to help them spot and handle fraud. You can share resources like our how-to guides, and signpost them to websites like Action Fraud UK. In-house training could include regular emails about fraud, test emails to practise how to spot a fraudulent email and how to respond, and yearly refresher workshops. The training is not about scaring your employees, but helping them feel in control when they suspect fraud, and confident in how to respond.
• Introduce a payment process
  Create a process document that outlines all the steps that should be taken to authorise a payment, including checking the authenticity of the payment request and payment details.
  
• Introduce a fraud policy
  Make a policy that clearly outlines how employees can use their work devices, and ensure they understand it and follow it carefully. Your employees should never download apps, software or programmes onto their work devices or click on links in suspicious emails or messages. They should also be sensitive about what they share on social media and what they email to their personal email addresses from their work account.
  
• Install anti-fraud software
  There’s plenty of software you can use to help you assess risks and detect fraud, including alerts for risky activity on a corporate device. Having up-to-date anti-fraud software reduces the risk of cyber attack, malware, ransomware, data breaches and ultimately losing the business money.

You can also find in-house training at:

• Gov.uk
  
• National Business Crime Centre
  
• The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA)
  

CEO Fraud is when cyber criminals hack into company email accounts, or set up a fake personal email account, to impersonate the CEO, Managing Director or senior staff and ask an employee to make payments to an account managed by the fraudster. They’ll typically target a company's finance department, but may also target other employees who have authority to make payments.

Usually the request sounds urgent, to panic the employee into acting without thinking and going through the usual checks and balances. The kinds of payments they’ll ask you to make are invoices for a supplier, utility or service, or products the company needs.

Contact us immediately on 0330 355 0355 (or if abroad on +44 (0)1179 739339) if:

• You’ve lost any of your security details or think they have been stolen
• You think someone else may be able to use your security details

For fraud related queries, we're available 8am-6pm Mon-Fri (9am-6pm Thu), and 10am-4pm weekends.

Once you've contacted us we'll ask you for all information you have about the loss or theft and may require you to report it to the police

We also advise you to report it to Action Fraud – the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre:

• Call: 0300 123 2040
• Report it online: actionfraud.police.uk

If the text is from a sender you know, or from a shortcode (five to eight digits long):

• Reply ‘STOP’. You shouldn’t be charged for this, and it will let the sender know you don’t want to receive their text messages.
• If you’re unhappy about receiving the text or continue to receive them after asking the sender to stop, you can complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) on 0303 123 1113 or online.

If the spoof text message (sometimes known as smishing) is from an unknown sender, or from an organisation you’re not familiar with:

• Do not reply or click on a link in the text. Responding confirms your number is active and could result in you receiving more messages or calls.
• Report the spam text to your network operator. Simply forward the text to 7726. An easy way to remember ‘7726’ is that they’re the numbers on your phone keypad that spell out the word ‘SPAM’. You may get an automated response thanking you for the report and giving you further instructions if needed, like forwarding on the number the spam text message was sent from. You won’t be charged for forwarding spam texts to 7726.
  

We take all incidents of fraud or suspected fraud seriously and understand it can be very worrying for our customers. We have systems in place to help monitor and protect against fraud but in some instances you may be concerned about a transaction. If so please contact us as soon as possible. For further information on safeguarding yourself against fraud please see the Take 5 campaign information.

Social media fraud can be many things. It could look like:

• An unusual message from a friend, colleague or family member on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social media platform. Fraudsters sometimes hack social media accounts to scam people into sending them money or personal data. If you get an unusual request like this, call your friend on a number you trust to make sure the message is real.
• A request to connect with you or a message from an account you don’t know. Often these have lots of spelling mistakes or a messy layout, but not always. It’s best not to accept a request to connect with someone or give consent for them to message you unless you know who they are and trust them.
• Competitions and quizzes. If you have to give personal details to enter a competition or quiz, make sure you trust the owner of the quiz or competition and that they are a genuine company. Quizzes and competitions are often created to capture participants’ personal information, which they can later sell or use against you.
  

• Use a different, strong password for every social media account you have – ideally with special characters, numbers and lower and upper case letters.
• Don’t create passwords that contain personal information - fraudsters scan social media accounts for personal details and try to guess passwords and steal identities.
• Some fake accounts are created to capture personal information, so don’t give personal information to anyone you don’t know and trust.
• Don’t click on links if they’re not from a trusted website - some links can put a virus on your device.
• Always log off to prevent someone else accessing your account.
• Be mindful of what you share and post on company social media channels whose services you use. Social media is great for contacting companies directly to solve problems or give feedback. If you mention or message your bank, phone network or utility provider on social media, be aware that this information is public and fraudsters can use it to convince you they’re calling from these companies.

This is when a fraudster sends a text message that looks like it has been sent by your bank or other trusted provider, like PayPal or a utilities company, to say there's a problem with your account. They may ask you to call a phone number or click a link to trick you into giving away your personal details.

If someone accesses your business account without your authorisation, we’ll refund the full amount of money taken from your account, as long as you:

• have not given someone else your security details (including your digipass PIN)
• have used reasonable care when using internet banking (e.g. logging out at the end of each internet banking session and not leaving your computer unattended while logged in)
• inform us as soon as possible of any security breach or potential breach
• have not acted fraudulently
• have taken all reasonable precautions to safeguard your personal and financial details. Read our terms and conditions below for more

We undertake monitoring on customer accounts and transactions to identify suspicious activity that could potentially be fraudulent. If we identify suspicious activity on any of your accounts, we will contact you to verify whether it is genuine. We may delay or decline transactions, or block your account until we can confirm the authenticity of requests received. When we contact you, we will ask you security questions but these will not include any information about your internet banking log in details. If you receive a call claiming to be someone from Triodos Bank and you are suspicious call us back on 0330 355 0355 and our Contact Team will be able to confirm if it was a genuine call.

We recommend you check that you have the necessary secure (SSL) connection with Triodos Bank.

How to check your secure connection with Microsoft Internet Explorer:

1. In the address line, HTTPS should appear instead of HTTP. The "S" stands for secure
2. Select "Properties" from the "File" menu
3. Next to "Connection" it says SSL x.y, where x.y = version number
4. Select "Certificates" for information about the certificate assigned to Triodos Bank (or double-click on the padlock in the browser status bar).

To prevent unauthorised access and viruses being downloaded onto your computer, you should use a firewall and anti-virus software.

A personal firewall is software that protects your computer against abuse from hackers and warns you if someone tries to gain access to your computer.

This type of protection is very important for computers that have a permanent internet connection, e.g. with an (A)DSL (broadband) or cable connection.

Here are some tips for using your firewall and anti-virus software effectively:

1. Make sure you always install the most recent updates
2. Make sure the anti-virus software is always activated, even when you are not connected to the internet
3. Make sure you set up the anti-virus software to scan your entire computer regularly
4. If an active anti-virus programme or firewall causes problems with Triodos internet banking, please check the settings of the anti-virus software and the firewall Internet banking security
5. Only install software of known origin and integrity

Do not save encrypted pages on your hard drive. It is standard practice not to save encrypted pages in your browser. This ensures that other users of the same computer cannot access these pages when you are finished with them. You can check and if necessary change the security setting for your browser. With Microsoft Explorer proceed as follows:

1. select "Internet Options" in the "Tools" menu
2. go to the "Advanced" tab
3. under "Security", activate the "Do not save encrypted pages to disk" option.

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