YOU ARE IN PERSONAL BANKING
Turning to online dating sites and social media to find your very own "cyber sweetheart" may sound like a good idea, until your true love starts asking for money.
The internet has changed the way we do a lot of things, from keeping in touch with family and friends, work, to finding love.
We spend an average of SEVEN hours online everyday, and it's fair to say that we live and breathe the internet.
While online dating and social media sites have become increasingly popular tools to find love and friendship, they've unfortunately also become popular tools for fraudsters known as romance scammers.
These con artists create fake profiles to lure in victims, establish romantic relationships and eventually, extort money.
While there is limited data available on the type of scams affecting Bruneians (as well as the financial losses incurred), in the US scammers managed to extort $547 million from their victims last year, according to the latest report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Common romance scams include the use of fake dating profiles to mine your personal information or send malware; coaxing victims to send intimate photos or videos which are then used to blackmail them; and elaborate ruses where scammers get to know you well enough to ask for help with money and expenses.
Look out for the red flags
The FTC reported that Instagram and Facebook were the most commonly reported platforms where contact with a scammer begins.
They often pose as someone living abroad and working in a respected and recognised role such as pilots, soldiers or medical professionals.
Cyber Security Brunei, a national agency that monitors online security threats, said there are several common warning signs that a person’s online profile could be fake, such as:
Beware of fake crypto investments!
Data from the FTC shows that both romance fraud has grown by a whopping 70% during the pandemic, as it provided a convenient excuse for scammers to say they aren't able to meet in person.
Last year also saw scammers increasingly using romance as a hook to lure people into bogus investments, particularly those involving cryptocurrency.
After romancing a potential target, the scammers often make a victim believe they are successful investors and casually offer investment advice for fake opportunities that often involve foreign-exchange trading or cryptocurrency.
So how can we protect ourselves?
So how can we protect ourselves?
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A new change is coming
We will be introducing a new online business banking service, bringing new and improved features to enhance your experience with us. The new service will be rolled out to all customers in phases and our existing Baiduri Business i-Banking service will remain available to you, until such time you have been successfully migrated to the new service.
What you need to do now
To minimise any disruptions to the new service rollout, it is important that we have a record of the most current and valid details of all your existing Baiduri Business i-Banking user(s). This information is mandatory to allow your existing user(s) to proceed with first-time login to the new online business banking service.
*Note: We are currently rolling out our new online business banking service, Baiduri b.Digital Business to existing customers in phases. For users who have not yet received their new login credentials, please continue to access the Business i-Banking service for your online banking needs. For more information, please contact us at [email protected] or call 2268 637/8/9 during business hours.
Important notice: Our Business i-Banking service will be deactivated soon. To ensure continued access and a smooth transition to the new Baiduri b.Digital Business, please provide your full name, IC, email address and mobile number via Business i-Banking Inbox. If we do not receive updated details from all authorised users, your company will not be migrated to the new platform and a fresh application will be required. For assistance, contact us at [email protected] or call 2268 637/8/9 during business hours. Thank you for your cooperation.