Kuwait, 15 September 2021: Gulf Bank is continuing to spearhead various efforts in support of the Diraya campaign, an awareness campaign initiated by the Central Bank of Kuwait and the Kuwait Banking Association. This month, Gulf Bank is highlighting the importance of keeping one’s banking information confidential and safe from hackers. These efforts are part of an ongoing plan to increase financial literacy and cybersecurity.

 

Gulf Bank is keen to alert its customers to warn customers of hacking and fraud links that may reach them via text, digital messages (including email), or phone calls, as hackers may impersonate bank employees on the phone. Gulf Bank urges customers to avoid responding to these types of messages, as the Bank will never request personal information via email, text messages, or phone calls. By disclosing any personal information through unsecured means, customers may unknowingly be placing their confidential banking data at risk of theft.

 

Regarding the Diraya campaign, the Assistant General Manager of Information Security at Gulf Bank, May Dashti, said: “At Gulf Bank, we remain in full support of the Diraya campaign due to its vital role in raising awareness on cybersecurity. I would like to take this opportunity to also remind our valued clients that Gulf Bank will never ask for your personal information via email, text message or phone calls, and I recommend that all our clients avoid engaging with these types of messages and calls, and immediately inform the Bank if they ever receive these types of requests. At Gulf Bank, we have implemented several safeguards to enhance information security. For example, customers are required to input their passwords in order to access the automated service over the phone, and can also use their Face ID technology to access their accounts through the Gulf Bank mobile application without needing to enter their confidential banking information. These measures are in place to make accessing one’s banking information simpler and more convenient, while reducing the need to expose one’s banking data every single time.”

 

In partnership with the Diraya campaign, Gulf Bank urges customers to follow some tips to protect their banking accounts:

• Fraudulent operations are diverse, and they come through several methods, such as: text messages, e-mail, or even phone calls.
• The bank does not request your personal information via email, text messages, or phone calls. Therefore, avoid responding to these messages. They are fraudulent attempts, and their aim is to obtain your banking information to steal your money or steal your identity.
• Handle electronic links with caution. Simply clicking on the link may expose your confidential banking data to theft.
• Do not store any confidential information such as debit card numbers, credit card numbers, or personal identification numbers on a mobile phone.
• Do not write your password on the card or share it with anyone; this also applies to the One Time Password (OTP).
• Log out of the bank’s application or website as soon as you finish your transaction.