Kuwait Finance House warns against fake travel season ads, urges protection of banking data
As part of its efforts to support the “Let’s Be Aware” campaign, Kuwait Finance House (KFH) has urged its customers to be cautious of falling victim to fake advertisements, particularly during holiday and vacation seasons when there is a surge in demand for booking hotels, chalets, and airline tickets.
In a press statement, the bank explained that fraudsters operate by sending banking links from abroad, leveraging artificial intelligence technologies to deceive customers into believing that communications are originating from within the country. KFH emphasized the need for heightened vigilance against such scams, advising customers to stick exclusively to well-known official websites and companies when making bookings, and to completely avoid transferring money through any unsecured links to prevent falling prey to financial fraud.
The bank noted that fraudsters continue to develop new methods to trap their victims and steal customer data or funds, exploiting various customer needs across different occasions to achieve their goals. During holiday and travel seasons, fraudsters take advantage of the high demand for booking chalets, hotels, and travel tickets by disseminating fake advertisements offering prices lower than the actual market rates to lure victims. Customers who perceive these as good opportunities later discover that the advertisements are merely tools used by scammers to ensnare them, gain access to their data, and execute fraudulent operations aimed at stealing their bank accounts and misappropriating their funds.
KFH has called on customers to verify the authenticity of websites before entering any personal information, and to exercise the utmost caution and prudence. It advised against responding to any requests to transfer funds without directly verifying the identity of the individual or entity receiving the money.
The bank also warned customers against sharing any confidential information related to bank cards, one-time passwords (OTPs), or PINs, whether via phone, email, or any other means. It stressed that KFH never asks its customers to share or update their financial details over the phone, email, or text messages.
Kuwait Finance House reaffirms its leading role in supporting the “Let’s Be Aware” campaign, launched by the Central Bank of Kuwait in collaboration with local banks and the Kuwait Bankers Association. In this context, the bank continues its initiative aimed at raising awareness among various segments of society by disseminating financial literacy materials across all social media platforms and the bank’s electronic channels, warning against various fraud tactics, and providing guidance on how to protect oneself from banking fraud.
