Protection against fraud

How to protect against fraud

We recommend you to protect payment cards as you protect your ready cash and your property. Compliance with safety rules will help you to reduce the risk of fraud on your card.

Please, pay attention to the following information:

• OJSC “Optima Bank” NEVER REQUESTS your personal information by e-mail, as this contradicts the security.
• Please, pay attention to messages which contain information of suspicious transactions. So, if you are reported that your account has received the money which you do not expect, that’s enough to suspect an attempt to fraud.
• If after all, you have already become a victim of fraud or suspect that your data fall into the wrong hands, we recommend you immediately notify the contact center of OJSC “Optima Bank” by phone: +996 (312) 90 59 59 or 0- 800-100-00-00.

Recommendations for necessary security measures

• Where to call?
• Security measures during operations through ATM
• Useful tips for using payment cards

The most common types of fraud:

• Phishing
• Skimming
• A new type of fraud in Turkey

Recommendations for necessary security measures:

• Read the rules of using a card provided to you by the Bank. Contact the bank if you do not understand any of the rules.
• Never leave your card without attendance; keep it in a safe place.
• Paying for purchases with payment card, try to keep all transactions made on it in your presence. Do not let the seller/waiter to take your card to another room, require that the operations to be carried out in your presence.
• If you decided not to make purchase, or if during issuing a check or slip the errors have been made, ask them to annihilate a spoiled check/slip in your presence, and second copy of the check to take with you and keep it during a month (before verification with the account statement).
• If possible, do not use your card on the Internet, do not pass your card details (card number, a special code CVV - Card Virtual Verification, expiration date) via email.
• Never write down your PIN-code (Personal Identification Number) on the card. PIN-code should be memorized. If after all you decided to write your PIN-code, the best way is to do it in an encrypted form, so that it could not become known to anyone other than you, and never carry it along with the card.
• Never disclose your PIN-code to anyone; you do not have to report it, neither to the bank’s employees nor the representatives of law enforcement officers, nor the retail store cashiers. Only the Cardholder should know their PIN-code.
• In case your card gets lost or stolen you should immediately contact the Bank or Authorization Center for the bank’s employees to block a card, to prevent fraud on it.
• Never give your card to third persons: a friend, a spouse, especially if they travel abroad. If for any reason, the ATM will withdraw the card, then you and your loved ones may have problems.
• Have control over the use of additional cards by members of your family. You are fully responsible for all transactions made on additional cards.
• Regularly check the account statement. The faster you discover and report about suspicions transactions, so much the better. The client’s complaints are strictly stipulated by the time frame during which you and the Bank will be able to do something. Keep your receipts and compare them with the account statement. Frequently check the balance on your card account.
• You can ask the Bank to set daily or monthly spending limit according to your wish. This additionally will protect your account from fraud.
• If you receive an email from the Bank to provide any personal information, immediately contact your Bank by calling to the already known phone number and see in reality whether the Bank has sent such message.
• If you suspect that your card details have become known to unauthorized persons, immediately notify your Bank.
• In case of card withdrawal in the banking institution or retail outlet, the bank clerk shall draw up a statement specifying the date, time and the reasons for withdrawal of the card. Get your own copy of the cashier of the Act with the signature of the cashier, has seized the card and then immediately contact your Bank or Contact Center.

Where to call?

Round the clock telephone numbers of Contact Center of OJSC “Optima Bank”: +996 (312) 90 59 59 or 0- 800-100-00-00.
Round the clock telephone number of Authorisation Center (in Almaty): +7 (727) 250-37-64.

Security measures during operations through ATMs

• Upon receipt of ready cash from ATM, you need to be sure that the ATM serves the card with the right payment system (usually labels are placed at the ATM to inform the clients about card payment systems, serviced by ATM).
• Please note that cash withdrawal in ATMs of other banks usually charges a fee. Please, study in detail the rates of your Bank.
• Before carrying out transactions through the ATM, it is necessary to assess the situation. When you notice any outward signs of ATM malfunction, extraneous devices, please inform the Bank about it and use another ATM.
• Do not use those ATMs with a message reflected on the screen asking you to move to other ATMs. The Banks do not provide such messages.
• In all cases, as far as possible, use familiar ATMs. In other cases, select ATMs in well-lit and convenient locations.
• If you are going to use an ATM, located in a special room, open the door with your card, placing it into an access device. These devices should not require entering a PIN-code. If you find a device requiring PIN-code entry, please do not use.
• Make sure that the people queued behind you do not have the opportunity to spy on your PIN-code. When you enter your PIN-code, cover the ATM keypad from prying with your hand.
• If you notice that ATM is not functioning correctly, then click “Cancel”, take the card and use another ATM.
• Never use force to insert the card into the card slot (slot receiver).
• Do not let anyone distract your attention while you are at the ATM.
• Take the cash and the card after the operation. Do not recalculate the money near the ATM; just take away the cash, the card and the check.
• If it happened that your card is stuck inside the ATM, be suspicious of anyone offering help at this time. You should immediately notify your bank to block your card, as well as the office staff of the bank, if the ATM is located in the bank.

Useful tips for using payment cards

• Keep the card in your wallet or in a special case.
• Protect the card from bending, scratches and other mechanical effects and damage.
• Do not place the card near your cell phone, TV, displays, computers, refrigerators, video and audio equipment and microwave oven.
• Do not keep the card in a bag or wallet with magnetic closure.
• Keep the card from water exposure and prolonged insolation.

In order to prevent payment card fraud we ask you immediately to contact one of the below provided countries of OJSC “Optima Bank” after the termination of use of card for blocking and reissuing your payment card to the new one with new number, new PIN-code in accordance with the Bank’s tariffs:

• Brazil
• Hong Kong
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Nigeria
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Taiwan
• Ukraine
• Portugal
• Spain
• Korea
• Great Britain

The most common types of fraud:

Phishing

Phishing - is dispatch of false messages for luring Internet users to copies of legitimate websites (online services, banks and other places where you can leave your personal information). In these reports, users are usually asked to visit a web page, which, in turn, they are asked to enter personal data under the guise of updating this information. However, the victim thinks that this Web page is a respectable company, but in fact it is a simulation created by fraudsters. Fraudsters can easily get the payment card number, PIN-code and other personal information.

Obtained through phishing data can be used for making purchases from online shops as well as to obtain funds through authorization by mail or by phone. The main danger of this kind of fraud is that during money withdrawal from the card the fraudsters use a PIN-code and the result of such operations is almost impossible to challenge. It is important to know that the banks will never ask codes and passwords that are issued to the clients. Banking systems information technology is very accurate and reliable, so the clients should not believe to such assertions like “we have lost something” or “we want something to check”.

We kindly request you, in no way, do not fall for this kind of provocation and not to be led by fraudsters. Every time when you receive a letter from the bank, consider whether it could act as its sender. In case of doubt, we recommend you to call on the 24-hour phone: +996 (312) 90 59 59 and recheck the information. Please, pay attention to the following information:

OJSC “Optima Bank” will NEVER REQUEST your personal information by e-mail, as this contradicts the security.

Please, pay attention to messages which contain information of suspicious transactions. So, if you are reported that your account has received the money which you do not expect, that’s enough to suspect an attempt to fraud. If after all, you have already become a victim of fraud or suspect that your data fall into the wrong hands, we recommend you immediately notify the OJSC “Optima Bank” by phone: +996 (312) 90 59 59.

Examples of phishing scams

Here is an example of phishing email sent to Citibank clients: “Your current account has received foreign currency transfer in excess of 2000 US dollars. In accordance with the User Agreement, you will need to confirm this transfer for its success to be credited on your current account. To confirm your payment, please go to Citibank Online Account Management Program and follow the instructions. If confirmation is not received within 48 hours, the payment will be returned to the sender”. A classic example of phishing scams: an e-mail, purportedly from the security services of the bank, with a request to change the password in the bank. Following the link from the letter, the user visits a resource, the interface of which looks like a bank site. By entering his/her personal information on this page, he/she actually transfers control to his/her account at the bank to the intruder.

Skimming

At present, ATM skimming is the most common method of fraud in all parts of the world. Card skimming is the illegal copying of information from the magnetic strip of a card, with further entry of data to another card. The fraudsters possessing the information on the payment card, fake cards and then, knowing the PIN, withdraw money from a large number of bank accounts in a short time, directly through the ATMs. Devices used by the fraudsters to read information about the payment card (card number and PIN-code), mounted directly on the front part of the ATM and disguised as ordinary parts of the ATM. For example, the reader, copying the magnetic stripe cards, is applied over the card entry slot.

How to avoid becoming a victim of ATM fraud:

1. Do notuse ATMs, whichlooksuspicious(for example, if the receptioncardslotis obviouslylarge or oddly-shaped). If the ATM appears to have any attachments to the card slot or key pad, in no case do not usethe ATM.Check forunusual instructions on the display screen and for suspicious blank screens.If you suspect that the ATM has been interfered with, proceed to another ATM and inform the bank.Try to useATM services, located in thebank.
2. NEVER and in no case disclose your PIN to anyone (even if the person represents himself as an employee of the bank).
3. Be on the look-out for individuals who might be watching you enter your PIN number.
4. Be especially cautious when strangers offer to help you at an ATM, even if your card is stuck or you are experiencing difficulty with the transaction. You should not allow anyone to distract you while you are at the ATM.
5. Never force your card into the card slot. Ifyou notice thatATM isnot functioning correctly, as usual then click “Cancel” and take the card. Ifyour card,after the operation,has not been returned, immediately contact your bankfor blocking the card.
6. Keep records oftransactionsso that you cancompare theATMs checkswith monthly account statements.Frequently check the balance on your card account.
7. You can ask the Bank to set daily or monthly spending limit of expenditures on your card. This additionally will protect your account from fraud.

A new type of fraud in Turkey

The international payment system VISA International announces a new method of payment card fraud in Turkey.

The scheme, in which the fraudsters operate, is simple enough: fraudsters are looking for their potential victims - cardholders who need cash (for instance in the street markets). The fraudsters tell them about the opportunities to get cash to pay for goods or services in the so-called “cash points”, established as trading terminals in the shop or in the market. Cashier of the cash point conducts the usual operation of the purchase, but instead of goods the cardholder gets ready cash. The cardholder enters a PIN-code on a false PIN-keyboard, thus providing a swindler all necessary information about his/her card and PIN-code. Then, within 3-10 days, from the cardholders’ account the fraudsters make the number of fraudulent withdrawals from ATMs, often in the same city.

In order to avoid becoming the victims of fraud, OJSC “Optima Bank” advises its clients to withdraw cash only from ATMs or the banks’ vaults and reminds them to call around the clock to the contact center by phone: +996 (312) 90 59 59 in all problem cases.