PNP ACG YULETIDE SEASON ADVISORY
As we keep this season merry and bright, we also have
to think of our safety especially in financial matters. With the holidays a few
days away, everyone is busy attending Christmas parties and buying gifts for
their loved ones. During this time of festivities, we usually see increase in
activities especially in the use of ATMs, online shopping, use of credit and
debit cards as well as online banking.
With this advisory issued by Police Chief
Superintendent Marni Marcos, Jr., Director of PNP ACG, here are the following
tips to be safe during this Yuletide Season and to encourage everyone to
undertake the following safety measures to avoid becoming victims:
Be careful when using your
ATM cards.
Keep your eyes open. If you’re looking at an
ATM and its PIN pad looks a bit loose, or see scratches or sticky residue, be
wary as scammers will often attach false fronts to the ATM with tape.
Cover the PIN pad with
your hand.
If there is a skimming device on the card reader, there will usually be a
pinhole camera mounted underneath the top of the ATM. As the card reader
captures the account information, the pinhole cameras record the customers’
PIN.
When in doubt, don’t use
the ATM. The
only way to prevent your ATM card from being skimmed is to recognize that the
machine has been tampered with. Best to just walk away from it. If it cannot be
avoided immediately change your pin using a secure ATM, preferably one attached
to a bank branch.
Always protect your user
name and password.
When shopping online, only
purchase from trusted websites
Beware of phishing emails
or text messages that are asking you for money, your user name or password.
Avoid clicking on links in emails that you receive.
When banking with the use
of online facilities.
Access your accounts from
a secure location. It is always good practice to access your accounts using
computers and networks you know and trust. However, when the need to
access accounts from remote locations arise, check the address bar on your browser
– the URL of the site you are on should begin with “https”. This acts as
confirmation that you are accessing your account using a secure connection.
Always logout when you are
done.
Logging out of your online banking session when you are finished lessens the
chances of you falling prey to session exploits by cybercriminals.
When using your credit
card, always be aware of where your credit card is to avoid skimming.
Make sure that you have
up-to-date anti-virus software.
Only use legitimate and
properly licensed software. Pirated software has been known to have malware.
This advisory was the product of discussions of the
PNP-ACG Advisory Council. We
hope that you take the necessary precautions to protect your yourselves.
Should you need assistance, we, at the PNP
Anti-Cybercrime Group, are ready to assist. You can reach us through telephone
number 414-1560 and email address acg@pnp.gov.ph
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