Is a 'verify your account' email from my bank real?
Treat it with caution. Banks do sometimes send verification emails, but phishing emails that mimic them perfectly are extremely common — always verify through the bank's official app or website.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Phishing emails impersonating banks are among the most convincing scam messages circulating. They typically claim your account needs verification due to unusual activity, a security upgrade, or a policy change, and include a link to a page that looks identical to your bank's login portal. Entering your credentials on that page hands them directly to the scammer.
A genuine verification email from your bank will not ask you to enter your full password, PIN, or one-time code via a link. If your bank genuinely needs to verify something, you can almost always complete it by logging in through the official app or website directly — not through the link in the email. When in doubt, call your bank using the number on the back of your card.
Common red flags
- Email asks you to click a link and log in to 'verify' or 'confirm' your account
- Link goes to a domain that doesn't exactly match your bank's official address
- Request for your full password, PIN, or one-time code via a web form
- Urgency — 'your account will be restricted within 24 hours'
- Email address the message came from looks unusual or uses a free provider
- Spelling errors or slightly off branding compared to genuine bank communications
What to do now
- Do not click the link or enter any credentials
- Log in to your bank through its official app or website to check for any genuine alerts
- Call your bank using the number on the back of your card if you are concerned
- Forward the email to your bank's phishing-report address
- If you already entered credentials, call your bank immediately and change your password
Frequently asked questions
What if the email appears in the same thread as real bank emails?
Email sender display names and even sender domains can be spoofed in some cases, and phishing emails can be crafted to appear in existing threads. The safest test is always to go to the bank's website directly, not through the email link.
My bank's logo and colours look exactly right. Could it still be fake?
Logos and branding are publicly available and trivial to copy. Visual accuracy is not a reliable indicator — check the link destination and verify through official channels.