Gulf Bank warns against fraudulent donation links during Ramadan

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KUWAIT CITY, March 17: Gulf Bank is committed to its social responsibilities, prioritizing the protection and education of customers and the community. Through active involvement in the “Diraya” campaign, it continuously raises awareness among customers and banking users about the dangers of electronic crimes targeting their personal information and bank accounts. Abdulmohsen Al-Nassar, Corporate Communications Officer at Gulf Bank, emphasized the importance of bank customers verifying the legitimacy of links requesting donations to charitable organizations.

He warned about the increase in fake links, especially noticeable during the holy month of Ramadan, taking advantage of individuals’ intentions to engage in charitable activities and support those in need. He pointed out that scammers replicate electronic payment websites that closely resemble those used by customers when making online payments, emphasizing the importance for customers to verify the authenticity of the payment site and ensure that payment links are from a known and legitimate source.

Customers were advised to exercise caution when dealing with emails, text messages, and phone calls from unfamiliar sources, which could impersonate bank employees. Al-Nassar emphasized the importance of refraining from interacting with such messages or calls and and ensuring the security of their account information and data to prevent falling victim to theft without their knowledge. He highlighted that banks never request personal information via email, text messages, or phone calls. Therefore, customers should refrain from responding to such messages as they are fraudulent attempts to obtain their banking details and commit theft or data breaches.He cautioned that simply clicking on the link could potentially expose their confidential banking information to theft. Al-Nassar advised bank customers to do the following:
■ To avoid saving confidential information such as debit card, credit card or PIN numbers on the mobile phone.
■ To avoid writing the PIN on the credit card, and to avoid sharing the one-time passport (OTP) number with anyone.
■ To ensure logging out of the Bank’s mobile application or website immediately upon completion of transactions.
■ To ensure that the antivirus software and associated files are updated.
■ To type the URL into the browser instead of directly clicking or opening links in emails.
■ To be careful when opening attachments and links within emails.
■ To download software from known and legitimate sources only.
■ To keep all systems such as security systems, applications, and operating systems updated with the latest security updates.

Al-Nassar further indicated that customer awareness is vital in preserving banking data, especially with the significant increase and the usage of electronic services lately. He advises customers to always deal with verified, authentic websites and licensed institutions when making donations. Gulf Bank’s vision is to be the leading Kuwaiti bank of the future. The bank is constantly engaging and empowering its employees as part of an inclusive and diversified workplace in recognition of every employee’s role in delivering customer excellence and serving the community at large.

With its extensive network of branches and innovative digital services, Gulf Bank can give its customers the choice of how and where to conduct their banking transactions, all while ensuring a simple and seamless banking experience. Gulf Bank is committed to maintaining robust developments in sustainability at environmental, social and governance levels through diverse sustainability initiatives, strategically selected to benefit the Bank both internally and externally. Gulf Bank supports Kuwait Vision 2035 “New Kuwait” and works with various parties to achieve it.

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