SANTO DOMINGO. -The Dominican Republic's Multiple Banking Association (ABA) stressed the importance of protecting personal and banking data in the face of cyber threats in an increasingly interconnected world, and urged users to follow good security practices when using electronic and digital channels.
The ABA stressed that, as part of its protocol, banking entities never request sensitive information such as system username, password, or token, and therefore urged people not to share this data in calls or messages and to report any suspicious requests immediately through official channels.
Among the information shared, the ABA emphasized that formal communications from banks address the user by their name, never by their email address or other nickname, which the entities constantly reiterate through different channels.
Likewise, the ABA advised that, in case of any procedure or having doubts about their financial products, the customer should initiate the conversation with the banking entity through its official channels, by telephone or the digital platform.
As part of its guidance efforts, the ABA reminded everyone that it has the website www.yonavegoseguro.com.do , where it offers useful information on cybersecurity for individuals and businesses.
"In an increasingly interconnected digital environment, the security of financial data is more important than ever, so it is necessary to be extremely cautious with the private information we share, in order to avoid falling victim to cyber fraud and scams," urged the ABA.
He warned about the risks of clicking on links in messages that urge users to update their information or warn of supposed account blocks, creating a sense of urgency. He explained that this is one of the methods used in phishing , one of the most common cybercrimes, to steal private information.
He considered it important to regularly review account statements, activate real-time notifications on the card or account to receive transaction alerts, which will allow for the quick detection of any unauthorized activity.
Another recommendation from the ABA is to check the URL of the page you are accessing to perform online banking transactions, in order to verify that it starts with HTTPS and has the padlock in the address bar, indicators that you are browsing a reliable and secure site.
Likewise, the Banking Association indicated that, through its User Relations Committee, it works within financial institutions to implement policies and procedures to strengthen user rights, with the support of the Pro-User Directorate of the Superintendency of Banks.
