Types of Fraud

We take all feasible steps to protect you, however, it is also up to you to ensure you are aware of the angles and ways scammers try to get to you, and make sure you are not a target!

Scammers will use a variety of techniques to try and gain access to your personal details or money. Many criminals will pose as reputable companies such as BnkPro or FxPro to try and manipulate you into passing over personal information or sending money to them, sometimes even posing as the CEO or high-up member of staff in order to seem legitimate.

Although the below list is not exhaustive, as fraudsters are always coming up with new ways to scam people, here are some of the most common types of fraud.

SMS Fraud

Also known as smishing, this is similar to phishing, but instead, the unsuspecting victim is targeted via text message in order to try and gain access to bank card information, personal details or any kind of financial information that can be used by criminals. It will usually be impersonating well-known companies, for example, it may be from a retailer asking you to verify a gift you purchased encouraging you to tap on a link that is actually a phishing site. To trick you into acting, they will often convey some sort of urgency that requires immediate attention, so no matter how scary the warning is, think before you panic and fall for it!

Phishing

Phishing is an attempt by fraudsters to obtain personal information by posing as a trusted company and can be done via email, SMS or even Phone spoofing. The communication will be unsolicited and may refer to some sort of issue with your account or a need to verify something.

The main purpose of such communication it to try and fool you into clicking on a link or providing sensitive data or information. These can often be hard to spot because they will use official company logos and similar email domains, often only with a one-letter change. For example, our official email domain is @bnkpro.co.uk or @bnkpro.com, but scammers may use something similar like @bkpro.co.uk or @Bnkpo.com

Although there are common signs that should raise a red flag, such as bad grammar & spelling, this is not always the case, so to be safe, if you are ever unsure if a communication came from us, please LiveChat with us directly to confirm.

Identity theft

As the name suggests, this kind of fraud takes place when someone steals your personal identity or financial information and uses it to commit fraud. For example, they may use your details open accounts with gambling sites or drain the funds in your account making online transactions. It can sometimes be hard to know when you have been a victim of identify theft, especially if you are not noticing unauthorised payments, so we recommend that you frequently check or have alerts set up to monitor this and question anything you do not recognise. If you believe you may have been a victim of identity theft, please contact us immediately.

Card fraud

Card fraud is generally a situation whereby a fraudster tricks you into making a card transaction. This can be done through a variety of methods, but some of the most common ones are:

  • They pretend to be from BnkPro or another bank where you have an account and may ask you to follow a link to confirm some details, or say that there was a problem with your account that needs resolving.
  • Impersonating the police or governmental organisations that are asking you to pay a non-existent fine or fee, or to send over your personal details to clear a warrant.
  • Impersonating utility companies, and asking you to pay or verify bills.

Phone Fraud

Nowadays most people are switched on to email and online fraud, but Phone fraud is becoming a more common tactic used by scammers, as people often are more likely to fall for things and requests over the phone. Scammers may act as representatives of communications services and ask you to press certain digits to be transferred to a certain department which is actually an external line set up by criminals with high charges that will then appear on your phone bill. They can also use technologies to clone phone numbers so the call may look like it’s coming from your bank or communications provider.

So if you get an unsolicited call from anyone asking you to take some action or provide sensitive information, stop, and hang up!

Investment scams

These are some of the most common tricks people fall for! Fraudsters pose as investment companies and display unrealistic investment returns and encourage you to deposit with them. Sometimes they claim to be representatives of legitimate investment companies. They may play the long game and send you fake screenshots over time that make it look as though they are making profits for you. They will then typically demand more funds in order to make a withdrawal or will just disappear with your funds all together.

This is often done through fake social media accounts or messaging groups. A reputable investment company would never contact through such methods, nor would they make promises of profits or guaranteed returns. Although these people are hard to trace, we recommend reporting such communication directly with the social media companies although the most they can do usually is take down the page/account.

Always be suspicious of offers that are too good to be true or make promises of returns. No one can guarantee profit.

Shopping

Online shopping scams are very common and often the easiest to fall for. Make sure to only shop online with well-known retailers, check that the website begins with HTTPS and read online reviews first. We suggest purchasing only through sites that offer buyer protection and using card transfer and not bank transfer. Card transactions are easier to make a chargeback and get your funds back, and you can also use a BnkPro virtual card to do this.

They can often tempt you through targeted advertising in social media or by email. When branded items are super cheap in comparison to the brand’s own store, this is an indication that the offer may be a scam or a counterfeit good. As the saying goes, ‘if an offer is too good to be true, it usually is!’

Another ploy used by fraudsters is to send emails or SMS regarding a delivery that is on its way to you, asking you to follow a link to confirm your address or rearrange delivery. If in doubt, or you are really expecting a delivery, you can go to the courier’s website directly (do not follow any links) and search for your tracking number directly or call the office.

Covid related scams

In recent years with the rise of coronavirus, scammers took advantage of the situation by using fake messages to try and gain access to personal information or sell fake products.

For example, it may be regarding vaccines and how you can make an appointment, falsely telling you that you have been identified as a close contact or claiming to sell magic medical concoctions!

BnkPro

Suspicious contact claiming to be BnkPro

For clarity, we would like to highlight that:

We will never contact you directly via social media or messaging apps.

We will never send links via SMS.

We will never contact you and ask you to make transfers to and from your account or via a third-party application or website. Only make transactions and payments through the official BnkPro App, and ensure you have the most up-to-date version.

We will not engage in any investment or trading advice.

We will never ask you for your password, PIN, card number, CVV or other sensitive information.

We will not provide the physical exchange of, or payment services relating to Cryptocurrencies.

Our services do not include asset management or the guarantee of any returns on investments.

We do not offer bonuses, prize draws or giveaways.

Any of the above should be deemed as suspicious.

Reporting Fraud

Report any suspected fraud immediately to the cybersecurity fraud agency or relevant authorities in your jurisdiction. We suggest taking a screenshot as proof of the communication.

We are here to support you and are committed to working together to prevent fraud and help keep your finances safe and secure.

If you do receive any calls, emails or SMS claiming to be BnkPro, do not engage in any communication with them and report this to us immediately via our official contact details found on our website.

Please also inform us should you notice any unauthorised transactions in your account or suspect that a third party may have access to your account information.

In the case of a lost or stolen BnkPro prepaid card, immediately initiate the ‘card-freezing’ feature on your BnkPro account and report this to us directly.

What we do to protect you from fraud

Dedicated Fraud team

We use sophisticated fraud & AML systems to detect suspicious transactions and irregular activity and have measures in place to protect against them. We also monitor for new threats and scams and introduce new processes where applicable.

Multi-Factor Authorisation

We will ask for verification through in-app messages. You will be required to enter a verification code or receive a call to your registered phone number in order to access the app. We also offer a number of additional app security features including passcode, touch ID and face ID recognition for logging in, which can be enabled in the app settings menu.

Virtual cards

You can open virtual cards with BnkPro to use for specific purposes, so they are not directly connected to the funds held on the physical card. We limit the number of virtual cards that can be opened in order to reduce the possibilities for hackers or someone who gains access to your accounts.

3D secure payments

Payments from your account will go through the 3D secure procedure to verify certain transactions, meaning you will get in an in-app notification from us to verify the transaction within the BnkPro app.

Real-time notifications

You are immediately alerted to any spending/transactions (including unauthorised) in real time so you can freeze the card without delay if needed. Freezing the card will prevent any further transactions.

GDPR

We follow the General Data Protection Regulation rules and a Data Protection officer is appointed to ensure that our management of personal information is in accordance with applicable legislation. More information can be found in our privacy policy.

Limits & Budgeting

You can also set and edit your own spending limits inside the BnkPro app. We will also warn you if transactions fall outside your specified budget allowance.

How we keep your funds safe

At BnkPro we understand that the safety of funds is of the utmost importance to our clients, and we take all reasonable steps to ensure that any money held with us is dealt with in accordance with the applicable laws.

Like all regulated financial entities, we hold client funds in segregated accounts, separate from company money.

Funds transferred to the Invest account (and held with FxPro UK Ltd) will also be covered by the Financial services compensation scheme.

We use world class partners and fraud risk management services to enhance our services.

If in doubt – Get in touch!

While we have tried to give you as much information here as we can, please do not hesitate to contact our 24/7 support team if you have any concerns at all, we will be very happy to help!

Contact us

Have enquiries? Our multilingual BnkPro experts are available to assist you 24/7. Get in touch for direct access the information you need, anytime.

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