What is Phishing, Smishing and Vishing?

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• Stay Alert
  Be wary of suspicious emails, text messages or phone calls that request your personal information or banking details.
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• Phishing 
  This is a fraud attempt via email. Typically they appear to come from a bank or another genuine financial institution. You are usually requested to click on a link to update or verify your personal data or account information.
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• Smishing 
  This is a fraud attempt via text message. In a smishing message you could be requested to click on a link in the text and be redirected to a legitimate-looking website, where you are requested to supply your personal and/or account information. 
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• Vishing 
  This is a fraud attempt via telephone call. You are lured into divulging personal information to an automated system or person. Criminals also use a tactic called 'caller identity spoofing', where calls appear to be made from a genuine or known number, allowing the fraudster to obtain your personal details.
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• Never Share Your PIN or Password 
  BNF Bank will never ask you to verify your PIN, password or log-in credentials, and we will never send you a link to confirm this information. When we speak with you over the phone we only confirm pre-defined security questions that only you know the answers to.
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• BNF Internet Banking 
  Should only be accessed by going to the website directly at www.bnf.bank. Never use a link provided in an email. 
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• Security Software 
  Ensure online security by keeping your anti-virus and operating software up to date. 
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• One-Time-Passwords 
  To approve online payments securely, register to receive one-time-passwords via SMS on your mobile phone through BNF Internet Banking. If you see an approval request for a transaction you don't recognise, contact us immediately.
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• Keep Your Information Private 
  Avoid giving anybody remote access to your PC. Never give out your card details to anyone unless you're sure they're legitimate. Ask to pay online via a secure platform or website.
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• Use Secure Sites 
  Look at your URL bar. Secure sites always start with 'https' (rather than 'http'). They will also have a gold lock next to their URLs. If the gold lock is next to an 'http' URL, this is a sign that it is a case of fraud.
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• Act Quickly 
  If you suspect that your personal information has been compromised, change your password via BNF Internet Banking immediately. 
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• Report Scams
  If you receive a suspicious email, text message or phone call do not respond to it.  Ignore it or report it to us by sending a copy or information to  customercare@bnf.bank. We will then report it to our IT Security Unit.