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Online fraud: surf in safety!

If you haven’t heard of phishing, pharming or malware, you are not alone—these “bad words” are among some of the least understood terms online. And yet, they refer to the very real phenomenon of online fraud. As French consumers increasingly conduct their transactions online, we outline several best practices to keep your surfing safe.

Cybersecurity: customers trust their bank!

French consumers spend nearly 6.5 hours online every day using their computers, tablets and smartphones—that’s more than a quarter of their day! And since 81% of them own mobile phones, they are especially fond of mobile web to help track their location, access social media, message with friends and family, consume information and even do their shopping! 

Although digital practices continue to grow more diverse, the relationship of French consumers to digital risks has evolved very little. According to our 2016 digital barometer(only in french), compiled with CSA RESEARCH, 73% of French consumers consider that the level of risk online is higher today than it was ten years ago. As a result, they are wary of opening email attachments from unknown senders or surfing the web without antivirus protection. Along the same lines, more than half of online shoppers refrain from saving their bank account details with online merchants. And yet, despite the wave of increased awareness, some risky behaviors remain. For examples, 47% of French consumers do not check the security protocol of the sites they visit, and 48% use the same password for all their accounts. 

French consumers are aware of the risks but have not yet mastered the tools of cybersecurity. For this, they depend on their banks to provide support and guidance: Indeed, most consumers consider their bank as the key partner for protecting their bank account details (77%) as well as for securing their personal information (63%). 

Put another way, the public see banks as the first line of defense against the threats posed by cybercrime.

Online fraud: a brief glossary

Phishing: a fake e-mail that asks you to update your bank details or personal information on a fraudulent site by posing as one you trust (administration, bank, online store, etc.). 

Pharming: a technique that tricks you into installing a Trojan Horse virus in order to redirect a website’s traffic to a pirate site.

Malware: software that enables pirates to take control of your computer remotely in order to carry out malicious operations. 

Adopt these simple reflexes to surf the web in total security

Imagine you are in a supermarket and about to pay for your purchases with your credit or debit card. Or that you are at an ATM about to make a withdrawal. A perfect stranger walks up to you and asks for your PIN code. Would you give it to him? Or what if someone suddenly sat down at your table in a restaurant to ask for your address, phone number or bank account details… How would you react?

  1. Just as you would not let a suspicious stranger into your house, you should also beware of e-mails asking you to update your bank account details or any text messages containing instructions for procedures that you did not initiate. Remember that your bank, utility company or mobile phone provider will never ask you to update your information by e-mail or SMS.
  2. Would you give your money to just anyone? Never! Before you log in to an online account or submit an online payment, make sure the site is secure. Check the web address for the presence of an “s” in “https://” (not just “https://”) and a padlock icon (as shown in the navigation bar). 
  3. Antivirus programs are your best friends: update them regularly and pair them with an anti-malware app for optimal protection against malicious programs.

Our mission: offer you a simple and secure digital experience

Digital now forms the cornerstone of our banking relations with our individual and professional customers. At BNP Paribas, we develop services to help you live this experience in a simple and fully secure way. 

  1. Digital key: combined with your PIN code (the same one you use to log in to your BNP Paribas account), this key allows you to add and validate an external beneficiary account for secure wire transfers carried out on the BNP Paribas site or mobile app. 
  2. Secure online payment: to validate a purchase on a retailer’s website, you can log in as the rightful cardholder by entering a code sent by SMS and showing the BNP Paribas and “Verified by Visa” or “MasterCard Secure Code” logos. This solution is available on participating e-commerce sites.
  3. Wa! (unavailable link): this mobile app replaces your wallet by dematerializing discount codes at your favorite stores, loyalty cards and payment cards, all in total security.
  4. Paylib: this mobile payment solution enables you to pay for your online purchases from a computer, tablet or smartphone simply and in total security, with no need to enter your card details.
  5. Alerts: our 24-hour monitoring system alerts you to any unusual activity. 
  6. Online disputes: was your card lost or stolen? You can now dispute charges online from your BNP Paribas customer space. 
  7. Insurance: our Security line covers you in case of any fraudulent use of your payment methods following loss or theft, anywhere around the world.

Do you suspect that you were the victim of fraud?Contact your bank’s Customer Relations department right away. At BNP Paribas, this number is: 0 820 820 001 (free service + cost of call). As a BNP Paribas customer, you can also dispute a charge online in your customer space. 

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