BNI Warns Customers to be Vigilant Against Cybercrime Scams Ahead of Eid
INFO BISNIS - PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, or BNI, is reminding the public to increase their vigilance against various cybercrime scams, especially phishing, as transaction activity surges during Ramadan and ahead of Eid. The Eid bonus (THR) payout period is often exploited by cybercriminals to target people’s savings.
“Customers need to increase their vigilance against various increasingly sophisticated digital fraud schemes, especially leading up to Eid when financial transactions increase significantly,” said BNI’s Corporate Secretary, Okki Rushartomo. According to him, the increase in financial transactions during Ramadan also increases the risk of cyberattacks.
Phishing remains one of the most common forms of cybercrime. In this scheme, perpetrators impersonate official institutions or trusted parties to steal personal data, such as usernames, passwords, OTP codes, and credit card information.
Phishing attacks are usually carried out via email, text messages (SMS), phone calls, or social media. Perpetrators send messages that appear convincing in order to trick victims into clicking on fake links, opening malicious attachments, or providing sensitive information without realising it.
According to Okki, phishing can be a gateway to more serious crimes, ranging from identity theft to account takeovers and illegal transactions that harm customers. In fact, the latest trends show that attacks are becoming more targeted and difficult to detect because they utilise artificial intelligence technology.
Some of the characteristics to watch out for include suspicious sender email addresses, the use of generic greetings such as “Dear Customer”, urgent language, and links that resemble official websites but have different addresses.
BNI advises customers to always check the sender’s address and ensure that the message comes from an official source. The public is also asked to avoid opening attachments from unknown senders, enable two-factor authentication (2FA), and use strong and unique passwords.
“Don’t forget, and most importantly, don’t click on links or attachments that are shared via email, chat, SMS, and so on,” said Okki. Customers should also not share personal data, PINs, passwords, or OTP codes with anyone, including those who claim to be from the bank. If they find any suspicious activity or suspected phishing, the public can report it via email at [email protected]
BNI emphasises that digital security is a shared responsibility between the bank and its customers. By increasing literacy and vigilance in transactions, the public is expected to be able to protect their funds, including their THR, and avoid the growing threat of cybercrime. (*)