Sometimes a person receives several fake messages from strangers under banking addresses as if they were sent from the real banks to their customers. From this point of view, banks in the Gulf region and abroad are keen to educate and urge their customers not to respond to these messages, especially if they demand to provide account or secret numbers of their credit cards or other information which fraudsters can benefit from by accessing customer accounts through the use of modern technologies, and transfer money from their accounts.
Warning messages sent by banks emphasize the need to protect customers from fraud and risks which the region sometimes witnesses, especially since it has recently seen an increase in their numbers. Hence, we see that a number of phrases accompany these messages to customers, including: be vigilant, and be on the lookout for any suspicious activity to protect yourself from fraudsters who may target your information in one way or another.
It also calls on customers to be aware of unwanted requests such as giving personal information to fake individuals, because some fraudsters claim to be representatives of banks, government authorities, official departments, and others. Sometimes these questions continue to be asked by fraudsters, mixed with some pressure on customers, such as a bank blocking the official account or cancelling the card in the event of not sending the information.
They also sometimes use favourable methods, such as telling the customer that he has won a lottery to lure him to share the information. In this regard, the circulars call on banks in the region and the world not to respond to e-mails or SMS messages, and the need for the customer to contact the branch in case the customer finds anything suspicious.
Everyone is required not to disclose to any stranger about the identity card, passport or credit card, its issuance and expiry dates. Security departments in banks today play a major role in following up on these issues and responding to customers’ inquiries, with the need to warn them not to open links or attachments that reach them via unknown e-mails, or download malware and spyware that can affect and reveal information to fraudsters.
Some requests come in the form of helping the poor and the institutions’ in need of donations and aid, which requires the need to know these institutions before answering them, with the need to review the account statements every time to ensure that there are no electronic thefts from accounts, or any suspicious activity, and contact immediately with banking institutions in any embezzlement of funds, or receiving any fake calls or emails. Banks today used to send messages to their clients explaining that they will not be asked for any other confidential information, as they have had it since the first time the client opens the account, unless some data in the personal card or other information is changed.
Today, many institutions, including banking and financial ones, use dozens of products that deal with cybersecurity and information technology in order to address security objectives and protect their resources from any intrusions that come from fraudsters in order to preserve others' money.
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