Always remember: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Do not disclose your personal information easily
Scammers will do everything possible to trick you into providing them with your personal information. Remember that a Bank of St Helena representative will never ask you to disclose your passwords or PIN Number. Never provide this confidential information over the phone, text or via email to anyone claiming to be from the Bank of St Helena, or any other organisation. If you are not certain, please check with us or report it to us directly. Do not use the contacts provided by the suspicious email, text or phone call.
- Avoid sharing too much personal information on Social Media
Be cautious about sharing personal information on social media, which might be used by fraudsters to trick you, relatives or friends.
- If you suspect a scam, please report it to the relevant party immediately
If you think you might have encountered fraud with your Bank of St Helena Account, please report it to us using the Bank’s published contact information or online forms. This is also applicable to someone pretending to be from another organisation, you should report it to the relevant person within the organisation, or to the police.
- Don’t assume an email or phone call is authentic
Just because someone knows your basic details (such as your name and address or even your mother’s maiden name), it doesn’t mean they are genuine. Be mindful of who you trust – criminals may try and trick you into their confidence by telling you that you’ve been a victim of fraud. Criminals often use this to draw you into the conversation, to scare you into acting and revealing security details. Remember, criminals can also make any telephone number appear on your phone handset so even if you recognise it or it seems authentic, do not use it as verification they are genuine.
- Don’t be rushed or pressured into making a decision
Under no circumstances would a genuine trusted organisation force you to make a financial transaction on the spot; they would never ask you to transfer money into another account for fraud reasons. Remember to stop and take time to carefully consider your actions.
- Listen to your instincts
If something feels wrong then it is usually right to question it. Criminals may lull you into a false sense of security when you are out and about or rely on your defences being down when you’re in the comfort of your own home. They may appear trustworthy, but they may not be who they claim to be.
- Stay in control
Have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for personal or financial information. It’s easy to feel embarrassed when faced with unexpected or complex conversations. But it’s okay to stop the discussion if you do not feel in control of it.
- Update your devices, apps, antivirus software and use a spam feature
Computers and devices are regularly threatened by new viruses, so software updates can help combat these and protect your devices. It is recommended to download software from verified and trusted sites. Updated apps can also provide additional security as they are constantly updated by the creator. By having a spam feature the spoofed emails will be sent directly to your spam folder to reduce the risk of accidentally opening one. The spam filter is not guaranteed to catch everything, however, so stay aware.
- Think before you click
Only click on links if you know and trust the sender, the same goes for downloading any files.
- Choose strong passwords
Ensure unique, strong and secure passwords are used and it is best to change them often and not use the same details for your main accounts. Accessing reputable password managers can also assist in creating strong passwords that provide additional protection.
- Use bookmarks for frequently visited pages
Since random links will be left unclicked, it’s convenient to bookmark websites you regularly visit. This speeds up the process of visiting the page while reducing the chance of human error in typing it by hand.
- Manually search URLs
If you must visit a page that is not already bookmarked, manually search for the URL. This avoids the risk of a malicious link planting a virus on your device. Take care that the URL is spelled correctly, otherwise, you will not reach the intended page.
Purchase scams happen when you’re paying for an item or service. The item doesn't arrive, or you don't receive the service and your money is lost. Yes - these can happen to St Helena residents just as easy as everywhere else in the world.
Typically, these scams:
- Ask you to send money via bank transfer rather than using a card or cheque
- Offer a too-good-to-be-true deal or discount
- Have 'limited availability', or are a 'special offer' to encourage you to act quickly
- Persuade you to send money before receiving a service
- Are advertised on social media or other online marketplaces, or in some cases through legitimate looking websites that have actually been set up by fraudsters
Remember to:
- Use safe sites when shopping online
- Use safe ways to pay, such as your debit or credit card
- Research the retailer online to make sure they’re legitimate
- Stop and think - would you be willing to send cash in the post for an item you've ordered?
- Research and check the validity of the item before paying - ask to see it if possible
Safety online is the hottest of hot topics as St Helena enters its new digital era. Customers applying for Online Banking will receive a Customer ID and will set their own password and security code. We will not have a record of your password or security code - this information is yours, and yours alone and should not be shared with anyone else to ensure your money is kept safe.
So, how can you safeguard yourself with a secure password? Here are a few tips:
- Uses at least 12 characters. 14 or more is better.
- Uses a combination of upper and lowercase letters.
- Uses a combination of numbers and symbols.
- Does not use a word that can be found in a dictionary, or the name of a person, character, product, or organisation. If you want to use a word or phrase you’ll remember, misspell it, or include numbers or letters. For example, the password “tHr33b1rd$” is stronger than the password “threebirds”.
- Is different from your other passwords.
- Does not include your name, a family member’s name, or a pet’s name. These are too easy to guess.
- Does not include phone numbers, birthdays, addresses etc
- Is not a popular password like “123456”, “qwerty”, “password”, “111111”, or “password123”
- Is updated regularly. Cybersecurity experts recommend creating a new password every three months
- Do not write it down or leave it somewhere that is easily accessible
Here are a few common mistakes users make online:
- Browsing on public Wi-Fi without protection - Unsecured networks are open to hackers.
- Falling behind on browser updates - Hackers exploit browser flaws when they know of them.
- Sharing too many details on social media - It hands over personal information to those who might exploit it.
- Using the same password for different online accounts - If a hacker steals one password, they have access to the other accounts.
- Passwords that are easy to break - It will be broken in a sophisticated hack attack.
- Not installing program updates automatically - A virus that could have been blocked sneaks into your unprotected system.
- Opening links from e-mails without taking a close look - You can allow a virus into your computer with just a click.
