FRAUD ALERT! How your money in the bank can be in danger and what to do to be safe

It is either you are living inside one of the caves in the Zankara Parks or taking a millennial nap if you have never received  a mail, text message, phone call or even heard about the scammers (fraudsters) or better still '419ers' according to our local parlance here, who go about requesting people to update their Bank Verification Number (BVN) or to protect their ATM cards from being blocked or even to upgrade it. They also come with the fake news that you have won something and require your bank details to claim your winnings.

Latest reports from banks have shown that this anomaly is seriously on the rise. All these fraudsters are targeting are your sensitive banking details such as Internet banking User ID,  Passwords, PINs, CSV code, OTP,  Token codes and many other vital security information.

Some of them will refer you to a site or blog where you'll be subtly prompted to enter some of these details either in a single online form or       a step by step guide to 'solving' your problem and immediately  you enter the last  detail, your account will be in red.

A close friend of mine almost fell for this bait. The website they referred him prompted his card number and the number at the back of the card. It was when they asked for his PIN number that something struck him and restored his senses. Some have also supplied details and witnessed international  transactions even in foreign currencies all occurring from their accounts in minutes.

Now to ensure you don't fall for any of those pranks, you have to strictly follow these precautionary measures:

Never reveal your passwords 
On no account should you reveal your Internet Banking User ID, Password(s), Token numbers and ATM PINs to anyone. It is confidential and must be known to only you.

Mind how you respond to links
To be on the safer side, never open late links or mails requesting  you to update your bank details. Always go to the nearest branch of your bank to do that.

Don't respond to that call
Your bank can never request for your ATM PIN or Internet Banking details for any reason. It is surely a fraudulent call so press the red button. 

Never save your passwords
Don't ever save your passwords phones, dairies, books or anywhere.  They are safer in your head. And you can easily recover your passwords or get a new one even when you forget them.

Always contact your bank
You should have the customer care phone number of your bank stored up in your phone. I have the contacts of the banks I run my accounts with.
Feel free to contact them in case you notice any gossips around your bank account.

I hope this helps you. 
If you really love those ones you claim to love,  why not share this to protect them.

Let's  know your reactions from the comments box...