Lloyds Banking Group has warned its customers over the threat of internet scams looking to take advance of the new combined company.

The bank has told all of its customers across Lloyds TSB, Halifax, and the Bank of Scotland, that opportunistic fraudsters may initiate phishing scams, asking for personal details, with emails claiming to be from Lloyds Banking Group.

Rob Devey, from the group, said it would be of no surprise if fraudsters tried to take advantage of the newly formed company and customers were targeted.

“Fraudsters are opportunists, who are always on the hunt for new ways to dupe customers,” he said.

As a result, Lloyds Banking Group have released a statement informing their customers that if they ever receive an email claiming to be from Lloyds Banking Group it will be fraudulent as it’s the company holding name and never used as a customer facing brand.

Brands under the Lloyds Banking Group banner also never send emails asking customers for their personal security details, so if a customer receives an email requesting information such as passwords, it will be fake, the bank claims.

Mr Devey continued: “Our aim is to make sure customers are protected. The simple rule is that customers should never respond to any emails asking for security details.

“But phishing is just one of many tricks fraudsters have up their sleeves, so there are other measures people should take to stay safe. Anyone using online banking needs to make sure they choose strong passwords, regularly update the security software on their PCs and keep their details private all the time.”