BANCO POPULAR MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ELECTRONIC FRAUD PREVENTION

Banco Popular Dominicano has created a list of recommendations through which it plans to alert its clients, helping them avoid becoming victims of electronic fraud.

Fraudulent emails, otherwise known as “phishing,” are a form of fraud that use electronic mechanisms to retrieve information such as personal data and email, credit card and banking account passwords, which will then be used to make fraudulent acts under the victim’s name. 

 We are warning our clients of “phishing” emails that insist on an urgent response so as to intimidate users. The message may request for an update, validation or confirmation of your banking information, directing the user to a webpage where personal information is asked for. It is with the divulged information that your identity can be stolen or frauds committed in you name.

General recommendations to avoid becoming a victim of Phishing:

·         Use an anti-virus or firewall software and maintain it updated. Some phishing emails contain software that can either damage your computer or track your web activities without your knowledge. Make sure that your computer has the latest version of the anti-virus software. 

·         Avoid using public computers when displaying or retrieving confidential data and make online transactions only from known computers. 

·         Do not access Popularenlinea.com through links found on doubtful web pages or on emails. If you wish to access Popularenlinea.com make sure to enter www.popularenlinea.com directly through your web browser. Do not click on links sent to you.

·         Do not send personal or financial information through email to your friends or relatives. Emails are not a safe method through which to send personal information. Banco Popular will never send emails asking for confidential data, such as the identification of your bank accounts, username or password, nor will it redirect you to web pages asking for this type of information.

·         Before entering any confidential information, even if it is being done from your own computer, find the lock symbol found on the web browser’s bottom bar to insure that the website is certified as secure. A secure site uses a private data transmission method that converts these into a secret code. Double click on the yellow lock and verify that the new window’s address is www.bpd.com.do, so as to guarantee that you are truly using Banco Popular’s site.

·         Review your banking account and credit card statements as soon as you receive them to assure no unauthorized charges have been made. In the event that unauthorized activity is found, immediately call 809*544-5555

·         Immediately notify the bank of any suspected fraudulent activity to your accounts, credit cards of access passwords. 

Where and how to make transactions

a) To make transactions:

Do not make transactions through public networks. Some browsers “remember” the passwords entered on pages previously visited.

In the event that you find yourself in the need of using one of the aforementioned sites, we recommend removing the browser’s property of “remembering” passwords.

For example: If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer, following these steps:

1st. Click on Tools/Internet Options...

2nd. On the window that pops up, click on the Content option and then on AutoComplete…

3rd. On the window that pops up, turn off (if activated) the User names and passwords on forms option and click on Clear Forms y Clear Passwords.

b) Password Management.

Never use the following as a password:

• Your own UserID (in caps, backwards, repeated, etc.). Ex. Juan Perez’s user ID to access Popularenlinea is Jperez , his password should not be Jperez.
• Part of your name. Ex. Juan Perez’s UserID to access Popularenlinea is JPerez, his password should not be Juan, or JPerez, etc.
• Name of your husband/wife or kids.
• Any personal information that is easy to obtain like telephone, birthdate, etc.
• One-digit or letter words. Ex. aaaaaaaa, 11111111, etc.
• Words found in dictionaries because techniques to force find passwords use dictionaries.
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You can use the following as passwords:

• Words with numbers or punctuation marks in between letters. Ex. 1elevdes.

• Initials of a phrase. Ex. Tssbte. These are initials of the phrase “The sun shines brighter than ever.”

Other recommendations:

• It is recommended that the passwords be less than 6 characters (letters, numbers or punctuation marks).
• You must memorize your password. Never write it in your agenda or pronounce it while typing it out and never write it on a piece of paper left on your desk or keyboard.
• Never give your password to other people.
• We recommend changing your password once a month, using any of the tips given above to create a new one.