Internet Banking Security Tips
- Wednesday, February 21, 2018
RBI Governor, banks or any such other person/ organization does not send emails or SMSs asking you to deposit money in their accounts to get a large sum of money to your account. Never fall a victim to such frauds.
Do not respond to any email from an unknown person offering you a huge sum of money & asking for a fee to initiate the transfer. Do not send any money as an initial deposit/commission/transfer fee to anyone for any offer made in the name of RBI/Income Tax/World bank/IMF or any such reputed organization as they never ask for such money.
Tips to safeguard yourself against fraud
Watch out for fraudulent callers who claim to be bank representatives seeking your banking details.
Here are a few scenarios on your phone where a fraudster might be at work
Your caller may possess a few of your basic personal details, such as your name or your phone number. "Hello, I am your 'bank representative'! I am here to inform you that......."
- Your Card will be blocked unless you do as directed
- Your Reward Points are due for expiry. Redeem now in Cash/Gift!
- You need to convert your Card into new, chip-based ones as per recent mandate
- Your Card has been temporarily blocked. To avoid permanent blocking...
- You have been selected for a Special Discount /Holiday Package
- Your Card is at risk! Secure it against fraudulent transactions on-line
RBI never approaches individuals for savings/ current account, credit/ debit card etc. RBI does not keep funds or accounts of any individual/ public/ trust. Do not be a victim of any such offer made to you on telephone/ email in the name of RBI.
Never share your internet banking details such as user ID/ password or credit/ debit card number/ CVV/ OTP/ ATM PIN/ Telephone PIN with anyone either over telephone or email even if they claim to be from RBI/Bank.
Never get lured by offers mentioning "you have won a lottery" even if they come in the name of RBI Governor or any such reputed person/ organization. Immediately lodge a complaint with local Police/cyber-crime authorities if you are being harassed by telephone calls/emails offering you huge sum of money.
How do Phishing frauds occur?
Fraudsters send e-mails claiming to be from reputed companies (including RBI, Income tax department etc.) in order to induce individuals to urgently verify or update their account information by clicking on a web link in that mail. Account information includes Customer ID, Internet PIN (IPIN), Credit/ Debit Card number, OTP, Card expiry date, CVV number etc.
When customers click on the link, they are directed to a fake website (that looks like genuine official website) with a web form to fill in his/her personal information. Fraudsters acquire all the information and then use the same to conduct fraudulent transactions on the customer's account.
Tips to safeguard yourself against Phishing
- Always visit websites by typing the respective URL into your web browser address bar
- Ensure the website is using encryption; always look for padlock at upper/ bottom right corner of webpage on web sites requiring personal information
- Ensure your browser is up to date & security patches applied; Install latest anti-virus/ anti spyware/ firewall/ security patches on your computer or mobile phones
- Regularly review your Credit Card and bank statements to check for any unaccounted transactions
- If you reveal your bank account details by mistake, report it to the bank immediately
Never respond to requests for personal information or click on links within emails. If in doubt, call the institution that claims to have sent you the mail.
Do not open email attachments or download links from unexpected sources. Do not access net banking or make payments using your Credit/Debit Card from computers in public places like cyber cafés.
Never share confidential details like Card number, Card expiry date, CVV, OTP, Internet Password (IPIN) with anyone when you receive any unsolicited calls, SMS, IVR or email seeking for card activation or upgrade, income tax refund, reward point redemption etc.
What is SIM Swap?
Fraudster collects victim's personal banking information. Fraudster approaches victim's mobile operator with victim's fake identity proofs & obtains a duplicate SIM card. Mobile operator deactivates the original SIM card post successful verification & issues a replacement SIM. Fraudster generates the One Time Password (OTP) which comes on the new SIM & carries out account transactions without victim's knowledge.
Tips to safeguard yourself against SIM Swap
If your mobile stops working for unusual reasons, check with your mobile operator immediately. Never disclose Internet banking password/ATM PIN/Telephone PIN to anyone. Do not disclose your mobile number on social media platforms. Register for both SMS as well as e-mail alerts to stay informed about transactions on your account. Never respond to unknown mails or calls asking your account details and registered mobile number.
Joydeep Deb is a Senior Digital Marketer and Project Manager with strong experience in Digital Marketing, Lead Generation, Online Brand Management, Marketing Campaigns, Project Management, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), PPC, eMail Marketing, Web Analytics, Web Technologies, Web Design and Development.
With an MBA in Marketing. IIM Calcutta Alumini. Lives in Bangalore, Karnataka - India.