Premium Bonds: NS&I explains how customers can keep their details safe from scam attempts
Martin Lewis details how Premium Bonds odds work for savers
While 2020 was a year in which tremendous acts of kindness and goodwill were highlighted, sadly, scams were still rife. As the new year gets underway, savers may want to remind themselves of ways in which they can try to reduce the risk of falling victim to fraud attempts online.
Worryingly, scam tactics manifest in a whole host of ways, and they can seem convincing even to those who consider themselves to be all clued up on signs of a fraudster at work.
In order to help customers with their security, NS&I – which stands for National Savings and Investments – has published a guide on its website, which looks at staying safe online.
“When you choose to save online with NS&I we guarantee that your money is safe with us,” the government-backed savings provider stated.
“In the unlikely event of money being fraudulently taken from one of your NS&I accounts or investments by someone else, we will reimburse you.
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
“All we ask is that you follow our recommendations for keeping your security information safe.”
Helping savers to take steps to keep their money secure, NS&I has listed a number of tips.
“Although managing your money online is usually safe, it’s your responsibility to keep your details secure too,” it states on the website.
Among the suggestions is to never tell another person the full password, even if they work for NS&I.
Furthermore, it’s recommended savers don’t write down or record their password or any security details.
Ensuring one avoids choosing a password which may be easy to guess is another tip.
While tempting due to the ease of remembering them, re-using passwords from other online accounts is another big no-no.
Anyone having a clear out is also advised to be cautious.
“Be careful when you dispose of documents about your NS&I accounts – you may want to shred them first,” NS&I warns.
Checking NS&I statements on a regular basis is another suggestion from the government-backed savings provider.
Should a customer see “anything out of the ordinary”, then they’re directed to get in touch with NS&I straight away.
Phishing and Vishing scams may well appear convincing at a first look, however there may be a number of signs to suggest the email or website, or phone call is not genuine.
There is an array of advice on this on the NS&I website, found under the online security guidance.
Should a person some specific concerns about the security of their accounts, they’re directed to take urgent action.
NS&I states: “Please call us straight away if:
- You think you’ve responded to a fraudulent email
- Someone may have seen your security details
- You believe someone else has accessed your accounts.”
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