Security Tips

• Check the validity of the debit/credit cards you plan to use
• Below is the list of banks you can safely use as identified and approved by NBK Fraud Division Unit
• This list is subject to change
   

• Ensure that you have sufficient credit card limit that covers all your expenses
• Prepaid and credit cards always come in handy when you’re traveling
• It’s also important to have more than one payment method in case of emergencies

Local currency payments
If you have used your NBK Debit Cards abroad during your travels, you have most likely been asked if you would you like to be charged in local or home currency? The answer is local!

To avoid extra charges, always request to pay in the local currency of the country you are visiting.

• Do not keep all of your debit cards in one place
• Always check the ATM for any suspicious devices; if you notice any, refer to another ATM immediately
• Do not accept any help from strangers
• In case you lose or face any trouble with your debit card(s), call us immediately
• Regularly track your spending through NBK Online Banking
• Download and install security patches for your operating system as soon as it is available
• Some transactions only appear on your account when the receipts are received from the merchant

• Change your PIN regularly
• Check all your debit card(s) statements
• If you suspect any strange activity on your account, report to NBKI +44 20 7224 2277 immediately 

Information you should know:
We prioritise your security and strive to keep you informed about potential threats that could affect your personal and financial information. Please review the following guidelines to protect yourself against fraud.

Official Communication Channels:

• Emails: We only use @nbki.com and nbkwealth.com domain address. If you receive an email from a different email address that looks similar purporting to be from NBKI please assume that it is an attempt at fraud. Under no circumstances would we send bank details via email or request yours via email.
• Telephone Calls: If you receive a call from an unidentified number, do not disclose any personal or account details. Your account manager will never ask you for any account or card details unless it is part of our call back procedure. For any inquiries or transactions, only use the contact details listed on our official website or directly through your account manager. Do not use any telephone number that is on a suspicious email or that you are offered over the phone from a suspicious caller.

Beware of Impersonation Scams: Criminals often impersonate trusted entities such as government agencies, financial institutions, or even law enforcement. They may offer fake safety measures, alert you to non-existent investigations, or offer health-related guidance to obtain your personal information. These scams often create a sense of urgency to trick you into acting hastily. Please remain vigilant and sceptical of such claims.

It is important to remember that if you feel that you are being pressured you should hang up the phone, then contact your account manager.

Secure Your Online Presence:

• Ensure that your email password is complex and unique to each account.
• Activate multi-factor authentication to add an additional layer of security.

For more detailed guidance on creating and managing secure passwords, NCSC Password Advice >.

Steps if You Suspect Fraud:

1. Do Not Engage: Hang up immediately if a call feels suspicious.
2. Verify: Use known contact information from our website to contact your account manager.
3. Report: Notify us and the appropriate authorities if you suspect you have been targeted:

• Action Fraud: Action Fraud Reporting >
• UK Police Service: City of London Police Fraud Reporting >
• Phone the Bank in Question: If you receive suspicious bank account details, via their website details.

Once you have reported the incident to Action Fraud, please break off any contact with the suspected fraudster.

We're Here to Help:
If you think you have lost money or personal information to fraud, you should report this to the UK Police Service and Action Fraud on 03001132040 or online via their websites (above) and contact your account manager to submit a claim.

Report the Fraud to the UK Police Service
Report Fraud >

Report the Fraud to Action Fraud
Report Fraud >

Guidance from the National Bank of Kuwait (International) PLC website
Security Tips >

Guidance from UK govt. agencies:
Protect yourself from scams >
Your data matters blog >

Password Guidance:
Advice and guidance >

Be cautious if an organisation or someone you recognise requests money or personal information from you, as it could be a scammer impersonating them. Scammers employ this tactic to build trust and their fraudulent calls, emails, text and social media messages may appear highly convincing. Stay vigilant and verify any such requests through trusted channels before proceeding.

Scams to watch out for:

• You receive a communication from an official source such as the police or tax authorities, requesting payment
• A familiar individual contacts you via social media or a messaging app, urgently requesting a money transfer
• In an online or long-distance relationship with someone you’re never met, they solicit money from you
• Someone requests that you deceive your bank regarding the purpose of a money transfer

Actions you should take:

• If a caller advises you to transfer funds for safety reasons, terminate the call immediately. Regardless of the apparent legitimacy of the organisations they claim to represent, this is a scam
• Always verify requests for money from acquaintances or businesses by directly contacting them. Avoid using contact details provided in emails, messages or phone calls; instead, use a verified and trustworthy contact number
• Refrain from sending money to individuals you’ve never met face-to-face, even if you’re romantically involved with them
• When receiving a call from us and you have the NBKI Mobile Banking app, use our in-app verification feature to authenticate the call
• Please remember: if you have any doubts the authenticity of a call from us, feel free to end it. We fully support this decision and will never attempt to dissuade you. If you’re concerned, you can reach out to our dedicated mobile banking team. You can use the number of the back of your card to do this

A New Reimbursement Scheme for APP Scams, Effective From 7 October 2024
The Payment Services Regulator (PSR) is introducing a new reimbursement scheme to address the harms caused to consumers by authorised push payment (APP) scams. The scheme aims to introduce important incentives to prevent fraud, provide a very high degree of consumer protection, particularly for those losing larger sums of money to APP scams, while also ensuring that customers continue to take care when making payments. It is effective from 7 October 2024. The scheme will require us to make changes to your account terms and conditions, and we'll contact you with further details of these changes in the next few months.

APP scams arise where a person manipulates or deceives, by way of fraud or dishonesty, a consumer into transferring funds from their account to an account not controlled by the consumer. They include where a payment is not made to the recipient intended by the consumer, or the payment is for a purpose other than that intended by the consumer. Where the person making the payment is party to any fraud or dishonesty, this is not an APP scam for the purpose of the scheme, and the requirement to reimburse will not apply.

Under the scheme we will reimburse APP scam victims who lose money when sending Faster Payments or CHAPS payments after the scheme comes into effect. The scheme will apply to APP scam payments which are capable of being reimbursed, and where you are the victim of an APP scam you will receive a full refund to your account, subject to the maximum limit of £85,000 per claim. The duty to reimburse will not apply where the consumer standard of caution exception or the time limit on claims applies - see below for further information.

Other exclusions apply to the operation of the scheme. For example: the APP scam payment must be made to an account in the UK that can send or receive payments using the Faster Payments or CHAPS Schemes, and so international payments and scam payments using cheques and cash are therefore excluded. The scheme will only apply to consumers, being individuals, microenterprises and small charities.

How Do I Make a Claim?
Contact us by telephone on +44 20 7224 2277 or by emailing us at info@nbki.com.

Please provide us with details of the date and amount of the APP scam payment(s) and any other information you think might be relevant.

You should expect to receive a reimbursement to your account within five business days of making a claim, unless we "stop the clock" where we have asked for information to help assess the claim and are waiting for a response. The stop-the-clock provisions only apply in limited circumstances, including where we have asked for information to assess the claim, to assess vulnerability and where there may be evidence of a fraudulent claim. In any event we must close the claim before the end of the 35th business day following the reporting of the APP scam claim. We will write to you to let you know the outcome of your claim.

Note that when we contact the receiving bank to trace the payment, we will share relevant information with them, and this will include personal information about you such as your name and account information.

The reimbursement amount will be the full value of the APP scam claim up to the maximum limit of £85,000 per claim, less any claim excess we may impose (see Excess below).

Exception: Consumer Standard of Caution
There is an expectation that consumers will exercise a standard of caution when dealing with fraudsters who are attempting to steal funds from their account by persuading them to make a CHAPS or Faster Payment. Where you have acted with a significant degree of carelessness (also known as behaving with 'gross negligence') in making the APP scam payment, then the obligation to reimburse the payment will not apply.

The consideration of gross negligence applies where you fail to meet one of the following standards:

• The requirement to have regard to interventions: you should have regard to specific and direct interventions from your Bank or from a competent national authority, such as the police, that the intended payment is likely to be an APP scam payment 
• Prompt notification: upon learning or suspecting that you have fallen victim to an APP scam, you should report the matter promptly to your Bank and, in any event, not more than 13 months after the last relevant payment was authorised
• Responding to requests for information: you should respond to any reasonable and proportionate requests for information we make to help assess a reimbursement claim
• Police reporting requirement: you should, after making a reimbursement claim, and upon your Bank's request, consent to the Bank reporting to the police on your behalf, or if the Bank requests you should directly report the details of an APP scam to a competent national authority

The Bank must consider the reason why you did not meet the relevant requirement when determining gross negligence. Where you are assessed to be a vulnerable consumer, then the Bank cannot rely on this consumer standard of caution exception to deny the reimbursement claim. A vulnerable customer is someone who, due to their personal circumstances, is especially susceptible to harm and the vulnerability has a material impact on their ability to protect themselves from the scam.

Exception: Time Limit to Claim
You have a period of 13 months after making the APP scam payment, or last payment in a series of APP scam payments, within which to make a claim under the scheme. We are not obliged to reimburse any APP scam claim where this is submitted more than 13 months after that date.

This exception does not apply to vulnerable consumers.

Excess
We may apply an excess of up to £100 to a claim under this scheme. However, the claim excess will not apply when the customer is vulnerable, and the vulnerability had a material impact on their ability to protect themselves from the scam. We will assess this on a case-by-case basis.

Maximum Level of Mandatory Reimbursement
The maximum level of reimbursement is set at £85,000 for each APP scam claim, to match the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) reimbursement limit. The limit will track any revisions to the FSCS limit, and the PSR will formally review its effectiveness after the policy has been in place for 12 months.

Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have assessed your APP scam claim under the reimbursement scheme, then you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS will consider what is fair and reasonable in circumstances regarding your individual complaint.

What is Quishing?

Nowadays QR Codes are involved in many of your everyday digital interactions and fraud is has increased with its popularity. QR Codes are used by cybercriminals by tricking someone into scanning a phony QR Code and to access data or credentials by redirecting the victim to malicious website. Quishing, also known as QR Code Phishing, predominantly occurs over emails nevertheless they can also take the form of physical QR Code in public space like charging points, restaurants or parking lots.

Scam to Watch Out for

Be wary of QR Code via email, ensure the email originate from a trusted source and be suspicious of any email emphasizing a degree of urgency, authority or emotional appeals. Cybercriminals often combine Quishing with social engineering techniques.

In public space watch out for overlaying QR Codes, variations of colours or texture.

Action You Should Take

Always check the origine of the email before using a QR Code.

Always check if the preview of the QR Code’s URL appears legitimate and does not have obvious spelling mistakes or is pointing out at HTTP rather than HTTPS.

In public space always ensure that the QR Code does not appear to overlay the original poster or display. If the QR Code is part of the original print it is more likely to be genuine.

If in doubt download the app from the official Apple or Google store or stop and do not share your details.

 When making a deposit, ensure that:

• Cash is only handed over to tellers who will in turn acknowledge the deposit by giving you a stamped and signed receipt
• You keep your copy of all related paperwork for future references
• Deposits made by third parties are immediately confirmed
• Ensure that you do a regular review of your account statement for accuracy

Identity fraud is where a dishonest person will gather your personal details in order to conduct a fraud which will financially hurt you. These fraudsters can obtain your personal information in a number of ways, via telephone scams or on the internet.

The following can be used to assume your identity:

• Your date of birth
• Your address
• Your ID number or other identification numbers
• Your mobile phone number
• Your banking information

To protect your identity we recommend the following:

• Immediately report any loss or theft of your important documents such as your ID, passport, driver’s license, credit card etc.
• Keep your financial and personal documents in a safe and secure place.
• Do not keep your ATM PIN number in your wallet
• Never provide personal information on the phone or emails to anyone who calls or emails you

Cheque fraud occurs when a fraudster uses a stolen or counterfeit cheque to pay for goods and services.

Tips to protect yourself from cheque book fraud:

• Never accept cheque from anyone you do not know or trust
• Be informed that there's a chance that money credited to your account from a cheque could be reclaimed in case the cheque is stolen or counterfeit and can result in a criminal case
• Never pre-sign a cheque or leave a cheque un-issued
• All cheques should be signed and immediately issued
• Keep your cheque book in a safe place
• Any missing cheque should be reported to the bank immediately
• Always cheque your bank statements regularly
• Bank statements should always secured in a safe place
• Ensure the reachability of your phone for confirmation

Fraudsters call you using internet by modifying the caller ID and impersonate as NBK staff. They then try to seek your card numbers, PIN, account number, online banking password and other account related information giving various reasons such as updating their system records, etc. To mislead you.

You may also receive a fake call from unknown number stating that you have won a lottery or a cash prize on your card or phone number. The fraudster then will ask your card number and Pin for confirmation, which then will be used for conducting fraud. The fraudster may also ask you to transfer some amount of money towards processing fee to claim the prize and you will never hear from him thereafter.

Tips to protect yourself from phone fraud:

• Establish the identity and motive of the caller before engaging in further conversation with the unknown caller
• Be wary of any suspicious calls seeking your personal sensitive information
• Do not disclose or reveal any personal sensitive information related to your banking services such as card numbers, PIN or WOL passwords etc. NBK will never ask you for any personal sensitive information
• Always check your account balances and monitor your account statements to identify any unauthorized transactions
• Report any SMS alert received for an unauthorized transaction not done by you

What do you do if you have fallen victim of a fraud?

Report the incident immediately to NBK even if you have already disclosed personal sensitive information relating to your card, account or online banking.

In an investment scam, a criminal convinces their victim to move their money to a fictitious fund or to pay for a fake investment. The criminal will usually promise a high return to entice their victim into making the transfer. These scams include investment in items such as gold, property, carbon credits, cryptocurrencies and land banks. The criminals behind investment scams often use cold calling to target their victims and pressurise them to act quickly by claiming the opportunity is time limited. Adverts on social media usually offer unrealistic returns, and letters are also used heavily in investment scams.

Consider -
- Is it a personal account?
- What reason is given for investment funds being received?
- What is the firm trading in? Is it a confirmed cloned company?
 

At points of sale (POS): You can use your debit cards to pay for goods and services at retails outlets on POS terminals.

Ensure that:

• Your card and the POS machine are always in sight while making the payment
• If possible, ask the sales teller if you can swipe/insert the card yourself
• Your card PIN is kept secret and known only to you
• You report lost or stolen cards immediately by calling the NBKI at +44 20 7224 2277.
• You regularly check your account statement and transactions
• You report any SMS alert received for a transaction not done by you by calling the NBKI at +44 20 7224 2277.

You can use your debit cards to deposit/withdraw cash and other services at the ATM.

Ensure that:

• You familiarize yourself with the ATM machines to be able to identify unusual sightings.
• Your PIN should be changed regularly at any NBK Debit Cards only)
• There is no evident tampering done with the ATM before use
• There are no unfamiliar devices attached to the ATM
• There are no persons peeping over your shoulder for your PIN
• You always cover pin pad with your hand as you enter your PIN
• Save receipts –  Remember to take your receipts and shred them before discarding. It is best not to ask for receipts at all
• You never accept assistance from strangers while using the ATM or handling the cash.
• You take your card and transaction slip with you
• You do not write the PIN on the card or saved in a device, or kept in your wallet
• You report any SMS alert received for a transaction not done by you by calling the NBKI at +44 20 7224 2277
• You report lost or stolen card immediately including the situation where your card is stuck inside the ATM by calling the NBKI at +44 207 317 5513 
• You regularly check your account statement and transactions

To reduce fraud and make online transactions more secure, NBK – London has introduced the Two Factor Authentication. The new authentication process requires at least two of the three following elements to accept the transaction:

• PIN, password or ID number
• Phone number, hardware token or smart card
• Finger print, face or voice recognition

Thus, the OTP will be sent to you via SMS and/or email to conclude any transaction you make. Please update your information with the bank to complete your transactions easily.