Fraud Awareness

Fraud is a growing threat that all parties need to be aware of so they can play their role in defending against it. Barclays have put a number of security measures in place to protect your accounts but you can also help prevent fraud by keeping your credentials safeguarded and following our tips below.

Want to know how you can protect yourself from fraud?

Here are some simple tips on how you can protect yourself from financial fraud.

• Don’t give anyone your Online Banking security PIN and make sure you change your security PIN on a regular basis.
• Remember to log out when you have finished using Online Banking services.
• If you receive an instruction to change a future client or supplier payment to a new bank account, always confirm the new details by speaking to the client/supplier directly.
• Never respond to unsolicited emails requesting you to re-validate your Account & User information or click on a link to a website that requires you to provide your account information or confirm your mailing address.
• Never respond to unsolicited social media chat purporting to be from bank officials offering quick financial deals.
• Be wary of opening attachments in unsolicited emails or downloading software’s as they may contain malicious software that enables hackers to steal your security details and access your accounts.
• Always ensure anti-virus software, firewalls and other online protection security features are installed on your computers and kept up to date.
• Keep your Personal Security Token device secure. Never leave it on your desk where it can get into unsafe hands.
• Check your activity log on a regular basis to keep a track of your transactions. If you find anything suspicious, let us know straight away.

Always Remember:

Barclays never sends emails or hyperlinks asking for your confidential financial information or requiring you to confirm your account details.

What am I supposed to do if I have fallen victim to fraud?

If you think you are a victim to fraud or received a suspicious email that claims to be from Barclays please contact Barclays Customer Service at +971 (0)4 365 3030 (Within the UAE), from Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm (UAE time) or contact us on uaefraud@barclays.com.

‘Malware’, short for ‘malicious software’, is used by criminals to disrupt computer operations and access confidential information. Malware can be installed into your computer through clicking a link in an email, opening an attachment to an email, or by downloading software from a malicious source.

Malware

As workforces have become more mobile, employees no longer always work on a single trusted network, making security more difficult.

Emails are the main communication method for most companies, yet it is often forgotten how unsecure the communications are. An email can be thought of like a postcard – it can be read as it moves across networks.

It is therefore important that sensitive information is only sent over encrypted networks. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser.

Network attacks

Social engineering is the method by which fraudsters aim to trick people into breaking normal security procedures. Fraudsters are usually looking for the victim to give up sensitive information, such as bank login details, or for them to enable malicious software to be installed onto their device. They may also trick the victim into carrying out a fraudulent payment themselves.

Fraudsters in social engineering cases often have thorough knowledge of the company to enable them to build trust with the victim. They may be aware of regular payments that are due, or of the structure of teams within your company, enabling them to impersonate internal employees.

Social engineering

Invoice fraud

Invoice fraud occurs when a fraudster sends you an email or letter, or calls you purporting to be from a supplier/customer, and advises of a change of bank details or provides new bank details for payment. When the invoice or payment is made it is actually to an account controlled by fraudsters.

CEO Impersonation Fraud

A variation on invoice fraud, this is when an email purporting to come from a senior official within your organisation requests a payment with bank details provided, but which has actually come from a fraudster. 

Invoice Fraud & CEO impersonation

Phishing

Phishing involves a fraudster, posing as a legitimate source, sending emails or letters that aim to trick people into divulging sensitive information or transferring money into other accounts.

Vishing

Vishing (vocal phishing) involves a fraudster phoning a company in order to convince a member of staff to reveal sensitive company information or make a payment. 

Smishing

Smishing is where a fraudster targets a victim via a text purporting to be from their bank, in order to convince them to reveal sensitive financial information or transfer money into other accounts.

More details