Bank of Valletta has warned its customers about a fraudulent e-mail that claims to be from the bank and which says their bank account is about to expire.

The e-mail contains a link that directs the customer to a counterfeit website which then requests the login to the customer’s bank account, BOV said in a statement.

This technique, known as phishing, is a form of online fraud and identity theft through which an attempt is made to persuade customers to visit a counterfeit website which in turn is used to steal identity data and financial information.

Such sites, the bank said, were designed to mimic authentic bank websites to lure the customer into thinking they were actually logged on to the bank’s site.

BOV said it would never request 24x7 login credentials, PIN or credit card details via e-mail, telephone or other means of communication.

“Customers should always remain vigilant against scams that seek to lure them into giving this information to a third party and to follow links directly from e-mails but should type in the bank’s website, www.bov.com, directly in their web browser,” the bank said.

While the SecureKey provides BOV internet banking customers with a secure authentication mechanism, they should always observe standard information security precautions.

For more details visit www.bov.com or contact BOV’s Customer Service Centre on 2131 2020.