The BCRA Makes 10 Recommendations to Prevent Online Scams
The BCRA reminds financial service users of the recommendations to protect their personal information by implementing good practices to prevent online scams and identity theft.
The BCRA will not contact you directly through any channel (by email, over the phone or on social media) asking for personal or banking data.
Main recommendations
1. Do not answer any mail server report message containing an alleged error on a bank transfer. In case of doubt, call the bank. Do not answer a call purporting to be from a financial institution. Instead, you should be the one to call. This is a new illegal practice whereby scammers send report messages on an alleged error on a bank transfer for the purchase of goods.
2. Refrain from operating an ATM, or accessing an app or online baking in answer to a call purporting to be from a financial institution. You should call the bank.
3. Do not disclose your personal data (such as username, password, PIN, social security code, token, National Identity Document (DNI) (original or copy), and photo) over the phone, by email, on social media or WhatsApp, or through text messages.
4. Do not enter personal data on websites through links received by email. They may be fraudulent. Be careful with suspicious links and make sure you are on a legitimate web site before signing in. Read every email carefully.
5. Use strong passwords by combining capital letters, small letters, and numbers. Passwords should be easy for you to remember and hard for others to guess. Do not use the same password for different apps, accounts, platforms, or sites.
6. Do not use apps, social media or personal accounts through third-parties or public computer terminals.
7. Do not use a public Wi-Fi network to access sites that require password.
8. Keep your browsers, operating systems, and apps up to date (delete the ones you do not use).
9. Learn How to Tell the Difference between a Real Profile and a Fake One in Social Media. Legitimate profiles have a blue check authenticity mark. Fake profiles, in general, only have very recent posts and a small number of followers. Upon identifying a fake profile, you may report the account as spam.
10. Take your time before doing anything. Scammers play on users’ fears, oversights or rush.
How to Report a Scam or Fraud If you identify a virtual fraud or deception
You may contact the Specialized Cybercrime Unit (Unidad Fiscal Especializada en Ciberdelincuencia, UFECI).
Address: Sarmiento 663, 6° Piso, CABA
Phone: (+54 11) 5071-0040 / 0041
Email: denunciasufeci@mpf.gov.ar
If you receive information or messages purporting to be from the BCRA you may forward them to Online Support (ayudaenlinea@bcra.gob.ar).
#VosSosLaClave
March 21, 2021.
