Consumer Advocate: Pay close attention to electronic banking

Consumers should be careful on electronic banking and take all possible measures to ensure that their remote banking transactions are secure.

This is recommended by Consumer Advocate on the occasion of the complaints received on the subject while calling on the banks to constantly update and upgrade the security systems and software, which they use to conduct electronic banking transactions.

In an announcement Independent Authority for the protection of consumers in their electronic banking transactions states the following:

“The” Consumer Ombudsman “continues to receive a number of consumer complaints regarding the conduct of unauthorized / illegal electronic banking transactions.

Specifically, there are cases of fraudulent bank account holders, who respond to misleading sms or emails and reveal the passwords to the e-banking services or the details of their debit / credit cards.

Especially increased is also presented number of complaints, concerning the deception of citizens – consumers, who have posted private ads on the Internet, through phone calls received from persons, who, pretending to be potential buyers of products or services, deceive them into revealing personal passwords to e-banking services or debit details / credit cards. The result of this action is the unimpeded access of these persons to bank accounts, from which transfers of particularly high amounts are made, mainly to foreign banks. The interbank search of these amounts can be very time consuming, while their return is uncertain, as in most cases all the money has been immediately withdrawn by the beneficiary of the account to which they were transferred.

THE Consumer Advocateas early as November 2020, has issued a notice to consumers on the measures of increased diligence and caution, required when conducting electronic banking, to reduce consumer exposure to the risk of losing their property.

In view of the growing number of complaints of consumer fraud, as mentioned above, and the now widespread use of e-banking, the Consumer Ombudsman calls on consumers to pay particular attention to the safe use of e-banking services.

Recommendations

The Independent Authority “Consumer Ombudsman” recommends to consumers:

– To keep the strictly personal secret passwords in the e-banking services (Username, Password) with special care and not to reveal them to third parties. Use complex security codes and change them at regular intervals.

– Keep with due diligence all the details of their debit or credit card: number, holder name, expiration date and especially the three-digit verification code CVV2 and disclose them only in the context of certified secure transactions.

– Not to enter e-banking codes, cards, or identification data, on websites to which he can refer them via a link (link) any incoming e-mail of dubious origin (e-mail).

– When receiving phone calls from prospective buyers of products sold on Internet classifieds or alleged representatives of banks or other entities, asking them to disclose personal secret passwords, do not respond and terminate the communication.

– When they receive messages of unknown or dubious origin on their computer or mobile phone, via e-mail, app, social media or from an unknown phone number (sms), they should ignore them and delete them.

– Thoroughly check the e-mail addresses they receive and, above all, that the sender’s displayed name corresponds to his own e-mail address. It is common practice for incoming e-mail forgeries to bear the recipient’s actual contact name, while the sender’s e-mail obviously has nothing to do with this contact.

– E-banking transactions should be performed by computers, which have an activated and updated malware protection program. It is recommended to avoid using computers to conduct banking transactions in a public or shared environment.

– To access banking websites and e-banking platforms, consumers must enter the website address directly and make sure that encryption has been implemented (indicative: there is a https prefix, a padlock icon to the left of the site address or lower right corner of the window – by pressing the cursor on the padlock can be checked if the encryption state is active).

– It is emphasized that the banks, with which they cooperate, will never ask in any way (email, phone or sms) the personal codes of the consumers.

– It is also stressed that consumers should immediately suspect the leakage of their personal and secret codes, immediately contact their bank for instructions and take action to challenge any transactions not approved by them. In addition, depending on the case, contact the Cybercrime Prosecution Service.

The Authority calls on all consumers to be vigilant and to take all possible measures to ensure that their distance banking is secure.

In addition, banks are called upon to constantly update and upgrade the security systems and software they use to conduct electronic banking. “

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