As part of its ongoing support for the Diraya campaign in its second year

 

 

• May Dashti advises banking customers to avoid anonymous emails, texts, and phone calls
• Gulf Bank urges customers to be aware of scam callers and cyberattacks, reminding customers that awareness is key to protect oneself from cybercrime

 

As part of its ongoing commitment toward social sustainability, and its keenness to enhance financial literacy and education, Gulf Bank is keen to educate its clients and the general public on the risks that cybercrimes pose to their personal information and their bank accounts.

 

For the second year in a row, Gulf Bank is continuing to spearhead various efforts in support of the Diraya campaign. Initiated by the Central Bank of Kuwait and the Kuwait Banking Association, the Diraya campaign is an awareness campaign that aims to spread financial literacy in society, raise awareness of the role of the banking sector, and promote the various services that banks offer to their customers.

 

The Assistant General Manager of Information Security at Gulf Bank, May Dashti, called on banking clients to be wary of emails, texts and phone calls that they may receive from scam callers, who may often impersonate bank employees.

 

Dashti stressed the need not to respond to unknown messages or calls, and to safeguard personal information and account data. By taking the right precautions, banking clients can mitigate their exposure to information theft and avoid falling prey to cyberattacks.

 

She affirmed that banks will never ask clients for their personal information via email, text message or phone calls, and that it is best to avoid responding to these types of messages. Messages that request clients’ personal information are fraudulent attempts whose aim is to obtain customers’ banking information in order to steal their money or identity.

 

Dashti recommended that clients should handle electronic links with caution, as simply clicking on the link may expose their confidential banking data to theft. She also added that enhanced customer awareness can go a long way in preserving banking data, especially in light of more frequent use of digital services.

 

Important Tips:

 

Dashti recommended the following tips for all banking customers to keep in mind:

• Do not store any confidential information such as debit card numbers, credit card numbers, or personal identification numbers on your mobile phone.
• Do not write your password/pin code on your card or share your password/pin code 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.
• Ensure your antivirus softwares and associated files are up to date.
• Do not click on or open links in emails directly; instead, type the URL into your browser.
• Handle electronic links with caution, including those received via email.
• Download software only from well-known, reputable and legitimate sources.
• Keep all systems (such as security systems, applications, and operating systems) up to date with the latest security updates.

 

The Diraya awareness campaign, which launched at the beginning of 2021, aims to increase public awareness regarding a multitude of financial and banking topics, including how to protect assets from fraud and cybercrimes. The Diraya campaign aims to spread financial literacy in society, raise awareness of the role of the banking sector, and promote the various services that banks offer to their customers via various traditional and social media platforms.

 

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 is able to 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 a robust sustainability program at the community, economic, and environmental levels through sustainability initiatives that are strategically selected to benefit both the country and the Bank. Gulf Bank supports Kuwait Vision 2035 “New Kuwait” and works with various parties to achieve it.