Phishing emails target Citibank

Citibank is the latest bank to become a target for phishers, with several spam emails circulating over the weekend targeting unsuspecting recipients.

The fraudulent emails try to persuade the recipient to click on a hyperlink, by saying that the online access to their account is about to expire.

When contacted about the spam emails, a spokesperson from Citibank said that it believed the site was being hosted in China. Citibank's international security investigators are working with agencies in China to get it shut down, she said.

In a statement sent to iTnews, Paul Newham, director of operations at Citibank, said that Citibank was in no way involved in the distribution of email which directed recipients to a Citibank lookalike website and requested individuals provide personal and account information.

"Citibank treats the security of its customer's accounts with upmost importance," Newham said. "Citibank will never send emails to customers requesting confidential, personal or account information. We advise everyone to delete all emails received of this nature, even if the email appears to have come from Citibank."

Citibank isn't the first financial organisation to be targeted by phishers. After being the target of a phishing attack earlier this month, NatWest - which is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and one of Britain's Big Four - shut off features to its million-plus online customers.

Security firms have also been warning that, in the leadup to Christmas, phishers would be trying to take advantage of the holiday season.

Daniel Godden contributed to this story.