The security of your personal information is always a priority at Ahlibank.
We work hard to help ensure your account information stays secure.
This site is designed to help you to protect your financial assets and personal details. In order to achieve the same your cooperation as a customer is required.
The following links will assist you in understanding various current threats and help you to avoid becoming a victim of financial crime.
Phishing:
Fraudulent emails are used by criminals to lure you to fake websites, which resemble original websites of financial institutions, and ask you to divulge personal information such as; Account number, Credit Card number, PIN number or Security Authentication Key.
Ahlibank would NEVER request such personal information from you by email.
How to protect yourself
- Be very suspicious of any e-mail or phone call received from a business or person that asks for your; Password, Passport number, Account or Credit Card information unless you have initiated the transaction. Similarly, be wary of any communication that sends to you, your personal information and asks to update or confirm it.
- Use a unique password or PIN and change it regularly. You should never disclose your password or PIN to anyone – not even to Ahlibank employees.
- Monitor your transactions. Review your order confirmations, Credit Card and Bank Statements as soon as you receive them to make sure you are being charged only for transactions that have taken place. Immediately report any irregularities to your bank.
- If you receive any such Phishing email immediately advise the Contact Centre on +974 4423 2666.
Pharming:
Similar in nature to e-mail phishing, pharming seeks to obtain personal or private (usually financial related) information through domain spoofing. Rather than being spammed with malicious and mischievous e-mail requests for you to visit spoof Web sites which appear legitimate, pharming 'poisons' a DNS server by infusing false information into the DNS server, resulting in a user's request being redirected elsewhere. Your browser however will show you are at the correct Web site, which makes pharming a bit more serious and more difficult to detect. Phishing attempts to scam people one at a time with an e-mail while pharming allows the scammers to target large groups of people at one time through domain spoofing.
How to protect yourself
- One way to check to see if the site you have been directed to is real, is to look for the gold padlock icon (
) . This is usually located in the bottom right corner of your browser's screen. If the icon does appear, click on it to verify a secure connection. However, keep in mind that the lock does not "guarantee" security. It is only a temporary security solution as there is no telling when the hackers will be able to perfect this icon to look legitimate.
- Report the incident to Contact Centre on +974 4423 2666.
Fraudulent Emails:
With the evolution of e-mail, users have been targeted by global email scams that are intended to collect critical personal and financial information from unsuspecting victims.
- Illegitimate offers are e-mails that entice users to purchase popular goods or services at reduced prices (or before they are available to the general public), with no intent to deliver those purchases. Usually, these e-mails are designed primarily to obtain Credit Card or bank account information.
- Requests for help usually offer a recipient large sums of money or attractive rewards in exchange for "short term" financial assistance. One common example is the “sender” who asks the user to supply a bank account number to "hold" large sums of money until the “sender” can retrieve it. In exchange, the recipient is promised a percentage of the deposit. The “sender” uses the bank account number for fraudulent activity, and the recipient never receives the promised funds.
How to protect yourself
- Be very suspicious of any e-mail or phone call received from a business or person that asks for your Password, Passport number, Account or Credit Card information, unless you have initiated the transaction.
- Always be wary of unsolicited emails offering large sums of money.
- Monitor your transactions. Review your order confirmations, Credit Card and Bank Statements as soon as you receive them to make sure you are being charged only for transactions that have taken place. Immediately report any irregularities to your bank.
- Inform the Contact Centre on +974 4423 2666.
Key Loggers and Trojans:
Key loggers are software programs that capture a computer user's keystrokes. Such systems are used by hackers to obtain passwords or encryption keys and thus bypassing other security measures.
A Trojan is a program that appears legitimate, but performs some illicit activity when it is run. It may be used to locate password information or make the system more vulnerable to future entry or simply destroy programs or data on the hard disk. A Trojan is similar to a virus, except that it does not replicate itself. It stays in the computer doing its damage or allowing somebody from a remote site to take control of the computer. Trojans often sneak in attached to a free game or other utility.
How to protect yourself
- Never use computers located in public places such as Internet cafes or airport lounges for online banking.
- Install a Personal Firewall and anti-virus software with latest security patches and anti-virus signatures.
- Always remember to update your antivirus signature.
- Do not visit suspicious sites. If you suspect that a website is not what it purports to be, leave the site immediately. Do not follow any of the instructions it presents.
- Monitor your transactions. Review your order confirmations, Credit Card and Bank Statements as soon as you receive them to make sure you are being charged only for transactions that have taken place. Immediately report any irregularities to your bank.
Identity Theft:
Identity theft happens when a criminal obtains your personal information to steal money from your accounts, open new Credit Cards, apply for loans, rent apartments and commit other crimes — all using your identity. These acts can damage your credit, leave you with unwanted bills and cause you countless hours and frustration to clear your good name.
How to protect yourself
- If you are a victim of identity theft or account fraud, you should contact the Contact Centre on +974 4423 2666.
ATM Card Skimming :
ATM Card Skimming is the method used by criminals to obtain Credit Card / Debit Card information like ATM PIN, card number and some other card embedded information to defraud customers and steal money from ATMs illegally.
Anti-Skimming tips to ensure utmost privacy and confidentiality
- Select a PIN number that is unique and difficult for others to guess. Do not associate your PIN with date of birth, phone numbers or other familiar numbers.
- Change your PIN number frequently and never disclose it to anyone.
- Keep your card in a safe place with you and do not lend it to anyone.
- If the ATM machine is not working properly, press the "Cancel" key, take your card and report it to the Bank.
- If your card gets captured or stuck in the ATM, report it to the Bank immediately.
- Be careful when people offer to help you at an ATM as they could be trying to distract you to get your card or PIN.
- If you notice anything unusual at the ATM, do not use the ATM and report to the Bank immediately.
- For further information or to report any of the above please call our Contact Centre on +974 4423 2666.
Security tips to protect your personal and sensitive information on the internet:
- Ensure your internet browser is updated with the latest security patches.
- Keep your PC / Laptop operating system updated with the latest service packs and security patches.
- Spam is a growing source of computer viruses. Use up-to-date anti-spam software along with your antivirus software. If you receive spam, remember this: do not try, do not buy and do not reply. Just delete it.
- As a secure practice use personal firewalls and anti-spyware.
Contactless payment fraud prevention tips
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Don’t hand over your card to any merchant for payments
- Check your bills to ensure you are paying for the goods you bought and the correct amount
- Make sure to keep your card safe and secure with you
- Check your statements/accounts regularly and notify the Bank of any suspicious transactions
- Notify the Bank as soon as you realise your card is lost/stolen to: +974 4423 2666. You may also block the card yourself via Online/Mobile Banking.
- Report any suspicious incident, confirmed or attempted fraud to: +974 4423 2666.
Fraud awareness tips during major events
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Please be aware of scams through SMS, email, phone calls, social media or website advertisements promoting prizes or special promotions related to the sale of tickets, souvenirs, merchandise, or hotel stays during major local or global events.
- Always make sure you use reliable and trusted official sources to make such purchases.
- If you have shared your Card details with a suspicious merchant/seller, report the incident immediately to 4423 2666