Mobile Banking related safety tips

With Mobile Banking, your banking and financial transactions are at your fingertips. Here are some precautions for safe and secure mobile banking

• Set up a Pin/password to access the handset menu on your mobile phone
• Register for SMS alerts to keep track of your banking transactions.
• Delete junk message and chain messages regularly

• Pay attention while accessing any URL.

  • Do not browse untrustworthy websites or click on suspicious links. Exercise caution while clicking on links provided in any unsolicited e-mails and SMSes

  • Only click on URLs that clearly indicate the website domain. Do extensive research before clicking on any link provided in a message. When in doubt, you can search for the organisation’s website directly using search engines to ensure that the websites you visited are legitimate

  • Exercise caution towards shortened URLs, such as those involving bit.ly and tinyurl. Hover the cursor over shortened URLs (if possible) to see the full website domain or use a URL checker that will allow you to enter a short URL and view the full URL. You can also use the shortening service preview feature to see a preview of the full URL

  • There are many websites that allow you to run a search based on a phone number and check whether or not a number is legitimate.

• If you have to share your mobile with anyone else or send it for repair/maintenance
  • Clear the browsing history
  • Clear cache and temporary files stored in the memory as they may contain your account numbers and other sensitive information
  • Block your mobile banking applications by contacting your bank. You can unblock them when you get the mobile back
  • Clear the browsing history
• Do not save confidential information such as your debit/credit card numbers ,CVV numbers or PIN's on your mobile phone
• Do not part with confidential information received from your bank on your mobile
• Install an effective mobile anti-malware/antivirus software on your smartphone and keep it updated
• Keep your mobile's operating system and applications, including the browser, updated with the latest security patches and upgrades
• Password-protect your mobile device to protect against unauthorized access. Set up a Pin/password that is difficult to crack
• Do not enable auto-fill or save user IDs or passwords for mobile banking online
• If possible, maximize the security features by enabling encryption, remote wipe and location tracking on device
• Never leave your mobile phone unattended
• Turn off wireless device services such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS when they are not being used. The Bluetooth can be set up in invisible mode
• Avoid using unsecured Wi-Fi, public or shared networks.
• Do not use "jailbroken" or "rooted" devices for online banking. Jailbreaking or rooting a device (the process of breaking into the phone's built-in operating system to control it outside the vendor's original intention) exposes the device to additional malware and gains administrative or privileged access of OS
• Only download apps from official app stores such as Apple iTunes, Android Marketplace, Google Play Store and BlackBerry App World
• Never disclose personal information or online banking credentials via e-mail or text message as these can be used for identity theft
• Log out from online mobile banking or application as soon as you have completed your transactions. Also make sure you close that window
• Be aware of shoulder surfers. Be extra careful while typing confidential information such as your account details and password on your mobile in public places
• Always check your bank or service provider’s website for Customer Care numbers or e-mail IDs. Genuine SMS messages received from banks usually contain a Sender ID (consisting of the bank’s short name) instead of a phone number in the sender information field. (Fraudsters/scammers manipulate caller ID apps and search engines to list themselves as Toll-Free Numbers. They then gain your trust and extract sensitive information like OTP, Passwords or Credit Card details)
• Look out for valid Encryption Certificates by checking for the lock icon in the browser's address bar, before providing any sensitive information such as personal particulars or account login details.

SIM SWAP related safety tips:

• Do not forward any message to your service provider till the new SIM is in your possession. This is also mentioned in the confirmation message sent to customer by the service provider on receiving the 20-digit SIM number.
• Service provider will never ask for your 20 digits SIM number over call or SMS
• Be vigilant and try to stay aware of your cellphone's network connectivity status. If you realise that you are not receiving any calls or SMS notifications for a long time, something may be wrong and you should make enquiries with your mobile operator to be sure that you have not fallen victim to this scam
• Some Mobile network operators send customers an SMS to alert you of a SIM swap - which means you can act and stop this fraud in its tracks by contacting your mobile operator immediately
• Do not switch off your cellphone in the event you are receiving numerous annoying calls, rather don't answer the calls. This could be a ploy to get you to turn off your phone or put it on silent to prevent you from noticing that your connectivity has been tampered with
• Register for Alerts (SMS and Email) so that when there is any activity on your bank account you will receive an alert
• Always check your bank statements and online banking transaction history regularly to help identify any issues or irregularities