Fraud protection | About company

Fraud protection

Fraud protection
Secure Mobile Internet
For parents and their children
Glossary
SIP / IP Telephony

Dear subscribers! Be vigilant, cases of illegal actions against the holders of bank payment cards have become more frequent. Fraudsters introduce themselves as bank employees and report attempts to commit suspicious transactions, offer to confirm their legitimacy.

 

Please note that bank employees do not make phone calls to customers, including using the Viber application. When you receive such calls, do not give anyone confidential information (number, card expiration date, CVV / CVC code, SMS codes received from the bank) and stop talking.

Internet fraudsters can hack into the pages of your friends or acquaintances, and then write on their behalf asking you to remind them your phone number under any pretext (for example, all contacts disappeared after replacing the SIM card), then the fraudster asks to communicate him the code that will come in an SMS to your number (under the pretext that it is a code to unlock the phone or a code for ordering in the online store - they promise to return the money later, etc.).

You, thinking that you are helping a friend or acquaintance, give your phone number, and then the codes that come to your number. As a result, a complete stranger registers in the A1 banking application on your behalf and gets access to the funds within the framework of the A1 wallet service, which he then uses to his advantage.

What you should do:
Be a careful user of social networks, do not give in to such requests, be careful about the unusual behavior of your friends. Feel free to ask counter questions, ask, clarify and check.

If your mobile phone with a SIM card has been stolen abroad (or you have lost your mobile phone with a SIM card abroad).

Fraudsters can make calls using your SIM card or perform call forwarding to expensive international numbers. As a result, a huge debt is formed on your balance sheet.

What you should do:
You must immediately block your SIM card!

To do this, you can:

1. call the contact center at 150 or +375 29 6 000 150 (the employee will immediately block the stolen SIM card);
2. in your personal account, in the "Feedback - ask a question" tab, indicate the necessity to block the SIM card due to its theft/loss (the stolen SIM card will be blocked within 24 hours);
3. turn to consultants in social networks Vkontakte, Facebook, Odnoklassniki (the stolen SIM card will be blocked within 24 hours);
4. fill out the feedback form on the website (the stolen SIM card will be blocked within 24 hours).

When contacting company specialists to block a SIM card, the client will need to indicate:
the mobile phone number;
the identification document details or access code.

Отправка с мобильного телефона SMS на короткие номера без ведома пользователя – один из самых распространенных видов телефонного мошенничества. Инициатором рассылки выступает стороннее приложение, установленное на телефон. Причем установка вредоносной программы зачастую происходит без ведома пользователя, но с его разрешения. Как? Очень просто. Например, в интернете после перехода по очередной ссылке вы попадаете на страницу с сообщением, что используемая вами версия браузера или установленной программы устарела, и ее можно обновить «прямо здесь». Активация доступа к «новой версии» происходит при помощи дополнительного приложения, которое устанавливается в телефон. Вы следуете указаниям, а через некоторое время обнаруживаете на балансе значительную задолженность… из-за рассылки сообщений на короткие номера.

Стоит отметить, что отправлять подобные SMS могут также и другие программы, в том числе, сознательно скаченные из официальных онлайн-магазинов приложений (например, Google Play, OVI и др.).

В последнее время участились случаи массовой рассылки SMS всем контактам из записной книги, где инициатором рассылки также является стороннее приложение. Как это происходит: вы получаете от другого абонента (им может оказаться даже ваш хороший знакомый) SMS с интернет-ссылкой, которую вам предлагается открыть, чтобы, например, загрузить интересное фото. Если вы перейдете по этой ссылке, активируется фоновая отправка SMS с тем же содержанием на все адреса уже из вашей записной книги.

Что делать:

  • Прежде чем загружать какую-либо программу или приложение, изучите список запрашиваемых ею разрешений.
  • Ознакомьтесь с отзывами о работе этой программы других пользователей. Возможно, вам будет полезен опыт тех, кто уже столкнулся с такой ситуацией.
  • Не переходите по ссылкам, вызывающим сомнения, даже если они получены в SMS от знакомых вам людей.
  • Удалите подозрительные SMS.
  • Установите на мобильное устройство антивирусную программу и проверьте телефон антивирусом. Это стоит делать регулярно.

Если же вы все-таки скачали зараженное приложение и по итогам месяца обнаружили в детализации счета начисления за исходящие SMS на короткие номера, которые вы точно не отправляли, обратитесь к специалистам контакт-центра компании A1 по номеру 150.

A virus enters your personal computer, laptop or netbook in a variety of ways: if you used a USB device infected with a virus or received an e-mail, while visiting sites of dubious nature (including those containing unlicensed copies of musical compositions or hacked software), or even in the process of communicating on social networks.

For example: in a messenger or on a social network, you receive a message from your friend: “Hello, how are you! My program XXX does not work. Download and check what's wrong with it http://... ". Or: “There is a video with you. Website http://... ". And if curiosity takes over and you follow the link, there is a risk of getting a virus on your computer. The consequences differ from damaging the anti-virus program and spamming on your behalf to the attackers gaining access to your confidential information stored on the computer, a significant increase in the volume of Internet traffic and the degradation of the Internet connection channel capacity.

Currently, mobile devices, including smartphones, are also vulnerable to malicious program attacks. Possible ways for viruses to enter are through downloads (from a computer, unofficial markets on the Internet, when clicking on malicious links on social networks), connection via Bluetooth channels (when the phone is in detection mode), via Wi-Fi (when establishing a connection), and via messages.

An infection of your mobile phone via MMS or SMS can occur when you receive a message containing a virus that, getting into a phone’s contact list, also sends itself as MMS/SMS to each phone number from the contact list.

"Symptoms" of your phone's infection can be a quick battery discharge, frequent “freezing” of the phone, growing charges for outgoing MMS/SMS that you did not send, etc.

What you should do:

To protect your computer or mobile device from viruses, it is important to follow a few simple recommendations: :

  • Be careful when downloading unverified or doubtful applications, programs, and links. Also, do not open or run file attachments of unknown origin. Check the information using the advice and recommendations of users on the Internet at the company's official website
  • Minimize the use of Bluetooth in public places. Use the connection in the "Hidden" mode, also try not to accept files from unknown devices
  • Do not click on suspicious links (all is not gold that glitters)
  • Correctly shut down applications and programs, as well as the Internet browser after finishing working on the Web

To A1 mobile Internet users, we recommend to connect the Anti-Virus service and the Firewall . The Anti-Virus will automatically analyze Internet traffic for viruses when you check mail, chat in Internet messengers or simply browse websites and will neutralize malicious software. And thanks to the Firewall network filter, the risk of unauthorized connection to your computer and its infection with malware is significantly reduced.

At the end of July 2015, information was published about the possibility of virus infection of Android devices using MMS, to which a multimedia file with a malicious code is attached, as a result of which the hacker gets access to the microphone, camera, external data storage device, and, depending on the smartphone model, even to root access.

What you should do:

To minimize the risk of infection via MMS, disable auto-receipt in MMS settings and enable blocking MMS from unfamiliar numbers.

Inattention to suspicious messages on social networks can cause significant harm. Internet scammers create “clones” of the pages of your friends or acquaintances, and then ask you, on their behalf, to help with the activation code to unlock the extended services of an application or website, for example, unusual emoticons or online games. To perform the activation, you need to get a password by specifying your phone number. If you, without thinking and asking again, send the requested information to your "friend", you risk to be trapped: a certain amount for the service will then be debited from your phone number. In response, you receive an SMS with an activation password. You give the password to your "false friends", who then proceed as follows: knowing your mobile phone number and having received the password, they withdraw the maximum possible amount from your account, and then offer the same "virtual money" to other users for half price on the same website, but for real money.

To "simplify" the use of mobile communication services, some subscribers sometimes have the idea of ​​creating duplicate SIM cards, the so-called "clones". To implement this idea, the owner of a SIM card turns to "specialists", who, in turn, using the appropriate equipment and software downloaded from the Internet, make copies of SIM cards or create a multi-SIM card. The inside information about the SIM card in stealth mode can, at the same time, be sent to fraudsters. After a while, the "lucky holder" of a multi-SIM card finds out a significant debt on his balance sheet, and from the billing details finds out that, while he was in Belarus or abroad, roaming calls have been made from his number... from different countries and almost simultaneously!

Another option is also possible: the subscriber himself downloads a program for cloning a SIM card from the Internet, being unaware that this program already contains the function of copying data from his SIM card and transmitting this information to scammers.

What you should do:

Do not transfer your mobile phone and SIM card to strangers and do not modify, copy or replace the SIM card software! (see clause 2.3.5. of the A1 Unitary Enterprise Telecommunication Services Provision Agreement). If you need a second SIM card with the same number, for example, for use in a car, use the A1 "TWIN-card" service.

You receive a call allegedly from a well-known radio station, TV channel or company. The voice informs you of some kind of win (of a large amount of money, a car, etc.), to receive which it offers you:

  • to transfer money to a bank account or to an "electronic wallet"
  • activate several express payment cards (in this case, you are invited to dictate the card numbers to the organizer of the drawing)
  • send an SMS to a short number to confirm the win

Or you receive an SMS from an unfamiliar/international number with information about a major win and a proposal to call back the international number or follow the link to the website for detailed information.

Despite the mythicity of such a win (the money or the car are far away, in the USA, Great Britain or in another country that you have never been to, you have not played a lottery game for the last year or two, have not participated in radio or television contests and have not filled out questionnaires), curiosity prevails, and you fulfill the specified requirement, i.e., transfer money, follow the link to the website and enter your personal data... The result of this surprizing "win" is very real: the win is not received, and a large debt is formed on your balance.

What you should do:

First of all, do not rush to transfer money or send personal data to strangers! Remember that free cheese can only be in a mousetrap. Therefore, if you receive such an SMS or a call with information about a win, do not be too lazy to check the reliability of these news. Contact directly this radio station, television studio, or organization and specify all details.

Announcements periodically appear on various websites stating that someone urgently needs help. Also, SMS with the corresponding text often come about the need for emergency assistance. This can be a search for blood of a rare group, raising funds for treatment or a call to help settling in stray dogs from a nursery. It is difficult for caring people not to respond to such an announcement. At the same time, it’s precisely the kindness that scammers play to: the account for transferring funds may turn out to be fictitious, and a call to the indicated number can be very expensive and not at all in favor of the "beneficiary" indicated in the text of the request.

What you should do:

Good deeds need to be done, however, when sending charitable donations to short numbers, you should specify the following information: who owns the number, whether the specified contact person or the person who needs help really exists. Check this information on the Internet or with friends.

Recently, having received an incoming call from abroad, the subscribers often notice that a completely different number has been determined on the phone screen.

When they try to call back to this number, they hear the answering machine, voicemail or silence, while funds are debited from their balance as for an outgoing call.

Similar situations can be observed when you are in roaming: at an incoming call, the phone display shows an A1 or PRIVET number, and not the caller's number.

This type of mobile fraud is called the "number swapping" and is the result of illegal activities by third parties on making international calls bypassing official communication channels. It is made before the call hits the company's network, therefore, the correct identification of the number is not guaranteed when making a call from abroad or in roaming.

There are also cases when subscribers receive SMS from unfamiliar numbers with a request to call back abroad.

What you should do:

A1 constantly and actively struggles against illegal activities of this nature. If you have encountered such a situation, please let us know indicating your number (to which the call has been made) and the number displayed at your screen.

Do not call back to unfamiliar numbers.

If you decide to connect to your passport, as a friendly service, a subscriber number that will be used by another person, for example, your good friend or a hallway neighbour, you should remember that the liability under this agreement will still lie with the person who concluded it, that is, on you. The same rule applies when purchasing equipment with an obligation to use the company's communication services for a certain period of time. Even if the current financial condition of your relative or acquaintance allows them to pay monthly installments for the phone and for communication services without any problems, however, unfortunately, there is no guarantee that this situation will continue throughout the term of the agreement. In both the first and second cases, financial claims will be made against you.

What you should do:

In such situations, we recommend you to think very carefully before signing up for other people's obligations. Especially taking into account that the presence of debts to the mobile operator may affect in the future the decision to grant you a bank loan or the possibility of traveling outside the Republic of Belarus.

You receive a message asking for help. For example, of a nature like this: "Mom, I had an accident. I can't call. Put XXXX rub. to the ZZZZ number urgently!" There may be other options: "Hello! Waiting for you. A passerby gave me his phone to write you an SMS, my phone ran out of power, put the money to the XXXXXXX number." In this case, the sender's number can be of any kind.

What you should do:

Having received such an SMS, always try to stay calm. Check with your friends and relatives, whether they really are in trouble and need your help. Be careful when receiving such messages: your good intentions can turn against you if you act only with your heart.

Useful programs, also called "download managers", facilitate the process of downloading files from servers on the Internet to a local computer. When visiting various websites, you add links to files that you would like to download to the "manager" and start downloading them. Conveniently, this download can be carried out in the background, without your participation, and at the same time generate additional traffic.

What you should do:

When using a download manager having the "mirror search" function, we recommend disabling this option in the program in order to avoid additional charges for traffic. In addition, "mirror" websites can be fake, contain malicious software that, after installing on the user's computer and connecting the computer to the Internet, will generate additional traffic.

Attackers can use several schemes with an erroneous transfer of funds to your account. The most common one is this: a fraudster deposits a certain amount to your account, then calls you and says that he accidentally deposited money to your account and ssks you to transfer the same amount in response. You agree, "return" the money to the balance of the fraudster, who, when contacting the company, withdraws the "erroneous" payment by presenting a receipt for payment. In this case, a double write-off of the same amount occurs.

What you should do:

Remember that A1 has a standard procedure for the return of funds mistakenly paid to someone else's personal account. If you are asked to return the amount mistakenly transferred to your account, remind the caller that he can return his money by personally appealing to any A1 branded sales and service center, presenting a payment receipt and an identity document.

Many of us have been curious about the privacy of our relatives, friends, or lovers. Cleverly playing with human weaknesses, ingenious scammers find profit here too. There are quite often announcements on the Internet about the possibility of getting easy access to messages and information about incoming and outgoing calls of the subscriber of interest to you. To do this, you are only invited to send a paid SMS to a specific short number and indicate on a special page the phone number of the subscriber. But after sending such message, an amount many times higher than previously stated is debited from your account. Moreover, you do not receive information that an SMS has been sent.

What you should do:

Remember that people have the right to privacy. You may not only suffer from fraudsters who want to take advantage of your weakness, but also destroy strong friendship or long relationship. Respect the privacy of others!