6 WAYS YOUR BANK ACCOUNT CAN BE HACKED
With current attempts by
fraudsters to access people’s bank accounts through text messages,
emails, phone calls etc., it is important we are armed with the
knowledge of the different ways our bank accounts can be hacked by these
fraudsters. This will help us better discern their gimmicks, avoid
their traps and keep our money safe.
Jumia Travel reveals 6 ways your bank account can be hacked.
TRUSTING SUSPICIOUS EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES AND PHONE CALLS
In
2015, Babatunde Fatai, a young man arrested by the Oyo State Police
command for various internet crimes including hacking into bank accounts
of people in and outside Nigeria, revealed that to hack into bank
accounts he would either go to dating sites to woo men and women into
trusting him with their account details, or he would send fake emails to
bank customers asking them to change their accounts and bank security
details. Fatai will then use their ‘old’ security details to access
their accounts and transfer their money to his online lovers, for these
lovers to transfer back to him through another means.
You should
be alert to suspicious emails, especially those that come with
promotions from banks giving links you should click. Check the email ID
or address and compare with the bank’s official email to see if anything
is off (that is, to see if it’s an unofficial or copycat account). Most
importantly, always call your bank to confirm any suspicious email
before you reply.
TRUSTING SUSPICIOUS TEXT MESSAGES AND PHONE CALLS
As you should be careful with emails, so should you also be careful with text messages and phone calls.
Text
messages about your account being blocked because of your BVN and
instructing you to call another number to activate; phone calls from
strange numbers (numbers different from your bank’s customer care
numbers) asking you to disclose your bank’s details especially when you
did not previously log a complaint with your bank about any issue
related to what is being asked of you, amongst many others, should all
be confirmed before responding to them.
Use your bank’s helpline
and if you can, go to a nearest bank branch to confirm. The cost of not
confirming is most times far more than the cost of confirming. Don’t be
quick to share sensitive bank details through any means, no matter how
genuine it seems.
SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES
Some hackers get
personal information such as your name, date of birth, email and phone
number off your social media accounts. With this basic information, a
sophisticated hacker can get past other options to change your pin and
access your account.
If you use Internet Banking, it is advisable
you edit your social media profiles, especially Facebook profiles. If
you must leave your day and month of birth, delete your birth year,
delete phone numbers you put there that are connected to your bank
account and use ones that are not linked to your bank account. For your
name, you don’t have to put your full name, especially the one your bank
recognizes, on your profile. Your first and last name, or simply a
username or nickname is fine.
UNENCRYPTED WEBSITES
According
to the Telegraph, you should never shop or log in to online banking
when the web address does not begin with “https” or without a lock sign
displayed on the address bar.
For an added layer of security,
check the online banking security options your bank provides such as
free antivirus and browser security software. Ensure that your computer
is protected by “firewall” software. Also, browsers (especially Google
Chrome and Mozilla Firefox) often come with built-in security features.
Make sure they are activated.
WEAK PASSWORDS
Especially
for those who use Internet Banking, weak passwords make it easy for
hackers to crack your passcode and access your account. Strong and
unique passwords that are long, random and made up of different cases,
numbers, letters and symbols are the best.
CHEQUE BOOKS AND ACCOUNT NUMBERS
Afam
Nriezedi, along with his syndicate members, was arrested in 2015 by
detectives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery squad of the Lagos State
Police Command for hacking into Nigerian banks with the assistance of
bankers and domestic servants.
To hack bank accounts, someone (a
domestic servant or relative from the house of the victim) will bring a
leaf from the cheque book of the victim to them. The leaf most times
isn’t signed but contains the victim’s account number. With the account
number, details of the victim’s name, phone number, email, house and
work address including the victim’s account balance can be gotten, once
they contact an insider in the bank they need the information from.
Getting the insider usually isn’t easy but because it is a syndicate,
it’s all about the effort and teamwork.
Their next step is to get
a copy of the signature of the victim provided most times by the
insider in the victim’s home. The cheque is taken to Mushin where the
signature is forged and the amount they intend to steal is written.
Most times, they don’t use e-banking to transfer the money but withdraw
it upfront (usually using an amount that is possible to withdraw
upfront). They never go the branch of their insider to do this.
It
is important to be careful and restrict access to your cheque book.
Also, don’t be careless with your account numbers and emails, phone
numbers and addresses linked to your account number. From time to time,
check your cheque book to confirm there is no missing page. Also monitor
text messages and emails sent to you by your bank to be sure
transactions you did not authorize have not occurred.
Learn, be careful and wise with those get rich quick human elements in around us.
Thank you.
