Being suspicious is the best defence

Whenever money is involved, fraud is always a possibility. Fraudsters are getting better and better at finding unsuspecting victims to fall for their highly credible stories.

Keytrade Bank’s message to you is very simple: be vigilant. Even if that means being suspicious of your own bank.

Who's on the other end?

Unfamiliar number? Is it a foreign number? Is it a mobile number? Is the caller presenting themselves as someone from your bank, Cardstop, Ombudsfin or another financial institution? Hang up on them. The faster, the better!

If you don’t, your caller will likely launch into a plausible story about ‘fraudulent transactions’ on your account. They will also have a handy solution to fix the issue. One that actually results in the fraud you were attempting to avoid.

Suspicious minds protect themselves better

Don’t be too eager to part with your digital signature, Softkey or Itsme. Fraudsters will put great effort into obtaining your signature, especially if they have already managed to access many of your login details through other means (phishing). It’s all this specific information they have about you that makes them so convincing. They may tell you your current login method has been hacked and you need to add a new one.

Take care never to sign anything you cannot see. Don’t disclose your Softkey QR code or Itsme. That’s basically an open invitation to take your money.

Definitely do not install any software to let such ‘bank employees’ view your screen remotely. A real bank employee would never require this of you. We would prefer that you be wary of any calls or emails you receive ‘from your bank’ , even if that means that your are doubtful of ours. We won’t be insulted, on the contrary.

“We’ll send someone over”

We don’t send people over. Never, ever. So don’t fall for it and hand over devices such as our Hardkey, your computer or phone, bank or credit cards to an ‘employee’ for ‘security’. We would never have anyone come by, because we don’t need these items to secure your money.

Psychological tricks

Fraudsters often use fear and urgency to prompt you to act. When you are feeling the pressure and afraid of ‘imminent danger’ such as a hacked account, your thought process will be much less rational.

Combined phishing and phone scams are so effective because they create a sense of authenticity. You don’t just receive an email, you also get called by someone who brings up information previously obtained through phishing. This makes the fraudster more credible.

Make your own calls!

Don’t be too quick to agree to requests for bank details or security codes. If you receive a suspicious call, always call back your bank(s) yourself, using the official phone number. It is also important to know how to recognise suspicious emails and text messages. Never simply click on a link.

Fallen for a scam after all?

Take action as soon as you can:

• Block your own bank and credit cards
• Call us 24/7 on +32 2 679 90 00
• Report the incident to the police, either in person or online at www.politie.be/police-on-web