In the age of technology, when innovative services are always available, it is important to exercise caution in using such services to protect against cyber fraud.

One of the most widespread forms of cyber fraud is phishing, which aims to obtain customer banking data fraudulently and conduct unauthorized financial transactions through remote channels. In a similar attack, cyber fraudsters may use an e-mail or phone call.

E-mail

The message sent by cyber criminals typically looks like a message from a trusted source, including a bank, or any other organization or private individual whom you may be in communication with. The message often contains a link to a website having visual appearance similar to the existing one.

When receiving an e-mail asking you to go to a link or open a file, carefully read the message and check the sender; never trust messages requiring you to take actions promptly or provide and/or confirm personal or banking information (e.g.: card number, user password, authorization code). It is best practice to check the real address by hovering the mouse pointer over the received link. Do not click the offered address but type it manually.

Phone call

Cyber criminals also use fraudulent schemes via mobile phones/calls. Fraudsters may contact you on behalf of a bank or a familiar organization/person and may request confidential information (card number, user password or authorization code) during a telephone conversation to conduct an unauthorized financial transaction usually along with talking to you. Remember that:

• The bank will never contact you to obtain such data.
• You must always enter yourself the authorization settings and/or code numbers required on websites or applications authorized by the bank.
• Before entering your data, you must make sure that you are visiting a website authorized by the bank.

Social networks

Cases of using social networks for cyber fraud are very frequent. You may find fake pages on popular social networks and messages sent from such pages that contain preliminary made virus or phishing links. Please note that it is important to follow general cyber security measures on social networks too:

• Before entering personal or confidential information, be sure to check that the web page is real.
• Do not trust the links received by the message and type the address in the web browser manually without clicking the offered one.
• Remember that the bank will never ask you to disclose such confidential information as your card number, user password or login credentials through social media.