Transactions can now be done easily, thanks to modern technology. Gone are the days when the only option was to physically go to the bank to transact. With just a few clicks, we can pay our bills. Our balances are updated real-time. No need to go to ATMs or the branches to check your bank balance. Internet banking has provided us 24/7 access to our own funds. Along with this, phone banking has also evolved. If we like, we can simply enroll our accounts to this type of facility, and voila, you can make the transactions that you need to do. Pay your insurance. Transfer funds. Manage your expenses.
Below is a story posted online by Cheva P. about her encounter with a caller who claimed to be from a well-known bank and attempted to get her personal information:
FYI: beware of these phone numbers, 02 7568630 and 02 7193840. Someone called me up and told me she is a BDO representative. She was telling me about this insurance policy of 350 pesos which is very cheap and offers a lot of coverage. She asked my complete name, birthday, mom’s maiden name, and house complete address. Told me only people with “credit cards” are allowed to enroll the policy, but I have a debit card and asked for my card number. I told her to call me back because I sense it is a scam in hacking credit card account. She called me up many times and used different number this time. I called the BDO office here and they told me they don’t do such transactions. Lucky I didn’t divulge my card number or else I would get hacked. That call was so random, but we should be wise so that we will not become one of their victims. I wonder how they know I am a BDO card holder and got my phone number. Smart ass cookies, but they didn’t outsmart me this time… just almost.
When protecting your bank account, what should you hold dear? Yes, you could say it is your debit/credit, or your password, or your pin code, but not really. The core to all these is information. What type of info, you ask? The simplest things can sometimes be the most powerful ones. These are:
1) Your complete name
2) Your home address / place of residence
3) Your birthdate
4) Your mother’s maiden name
In case you haven’t noticed, these are the details that are usually asked to you when verifying your identity. Forgot your password? Your birthdate please. Uh-huh. What is your mother’s maiden name?
Home address please. What is your full name?
These are meant to prevent impostors from manipulating an innocent person’s account. However, while technology supports the efficiency of transactions, we must still keep our guard up all the time.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Have you had a similar experience to this one?
What would you have done if you were put in the same situation?
Share your stories and comments below.
