An announcement on the official website of the Bank of China yesterday assured users that they had arrived at the correct website for the national bank.

The bank says they issued the statement because the Public Security Bureau recently closed down an unidentified website that was claiming to be the real online presence of the Bank of China. The false website was using an illegal technique called "phishing", intending to steal usernames and passwords from unsuspecting users.

Local media report there is still another website called www.1cbc.com.cn operating and bearing a resemblance to that of the Industry and Commercial Bank Of China's site at (www.icbc.com.cn). This website has not yet been closed.