Police are investigating a case in which an email, purported to be sent from The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, links to a fraudulent website which looks similar to the bank's Internet banking logon webpage.

The email has requested customers to use an embedded hyperlink such as "business-internet-banking.hsbc.com.topoi2.cx/bibauth/formStart/" to access the fake website and verify their account information by entering their user name and password.

The bank said no such emails were sent to customers and it is not connected with the fraudulent website, adding it will not ask customers to provide passwords via emails or verify their account information online.

The Monetary Authority reminded people not to access their Internet banking accounts through hyperlinks embedded in emails, Internet search engines or suspicious pop-up windows. They should contact their banks if in doubt.

Anyone who has provided personal information to the website or has conducted any financial transactions through it should contact the bank at 2748 3322 and call Police at 2860 5012.