Bank says chance of internet fraud tiny

Bank of New Zealand says people have more chance of getting hit by a car than they have of being the victim of internet banking fraud.

The bank has blocked customers who are also users of an American software company from using its website.

BNZ general manager for channels Shona Bishop said today about 1000 of BNZ's customers who were also Marketscore customers had been blocked.

Marketscore offers customers faster internet access but uses software to monitor the online activities and habits, Ms Bishop said in a statement.

"We don't know the exact number of customers that use Marketscore but it's roughly 1000 or so.

"When you consider we have close to 300,000 internet Banking customers, the number affected is 0.3 per cent of our customer base."

Ms Bishop said it was a precautionary move to block Marketscore customers.

"No-one has lost any money through Marketscore but we're very uncomfortable that Marketscore has the ability to identify our customers' internet banking login and passwords.

"It's the cyber equivalent of giving a stranger the keys to the front door of your home -- and the alarm code at the same time."

She said no amount of security could stop fraudsters from accessing internet banking customer accounts if people did not use up-to-date anti-virus software and firewalls.

But compared to credit card, cheque and cash fraud the number of people hit affected by internet banking fraud was small.

"People probably have a higher chance of being hit by a car crossing the road, than being victims of internet banking fraud."

Last week it was reported a hacker had installed keystroke logging software at a Wellington internet cafe, and had been able to gather the user names and passwords of people banking online at the cafe.

He had used the software to gain access to accounts containing more than $500,000.

- NZPA