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General Security Tips

Tips for Staying Safe Online

  • Do: Keep your PC up-to-date with the latest browser version, security patches, anti-virus software and use a personal firewall
  • Do: Contact us if you receive a fraudulent email purporting to come from KBC Bank Ireland which asks for personal details or asks you to click a link to our login page
  • Don't use unfamiliar computers or internet cafés to enter personal information
  • Don't click on any links within unsolicited or fraudulent looking emails.

Online Shopping Tips

  • Use familiar websites: Start at a trusted website rather than shopping with a search engine. Search results can be rigged to lead you astray, especially when you drift past the first few pages of links. Most major retailers have an online store, beware of misspellings or websites using a different top-level domain (.net instead of .com for example).
  • Look for the lock: You should never buy anything online using your credit/debit card from a site that doesn’t have SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed. You’ll know if the site has SSL because the URL for the site will start with HTTPS:// rather than just HTTP://. An icon of a locked padlock will appear usually in the status bar at the bottom of your web browser or next to the URL in the address bar.
  • Mind your information: It would be very unusual for an online store to need personal details such as your PPS number or your date of birth to make a purchase. In reality if a criminal gains access to these details combined with your credit/debit card details they could cause you a lot of problems. The safest option to provide as little personal information as possible.
  • Protect your PC: Ensure that your PC has good anti-virus software installed and ensure that it is updated regularly.
  • Review your bank statements: During the Christmas period you should regularly examine statements for your credit and debit card to check for any potentially fraudulent transactions.
  • Use strong passwords: Shopping online during Christmas can mean creating a number of new user accounts across a number of various web stores. It is more important than ever to ensure when you are creating a new password that it is strong and use a different password on each website.
  • Fraud: To protect yourself against any  fraud, watch out for scams. For example, be wary of deals that sound too good to be true, any alerts you recieve that your account will be closed unless you take some immediate action, notices that you have won a lottery, or a refusal to meet in person for a local transaction.

KBC Mobile Banking Tips

  • Never disclose your Mobile Banking PIN.
  • Lock your Device when it is not in use.
  • Use your mobile phone’s security features.
  • Do not follow links sent in suspicious email or text messages.
  • Limit exposure of your mobile phone number.
  • Do not store sensitive or personal information on your mobile device and Delete all information stored in a device prior to discarding it.
  • Disable interfaces that are not currently in use, such as Bluetooth, infrared, or Wi-Fi.
  • Avoid joining unknown Wi-Fi networks and using public Wi-Fi hotspots.
  • Only download apps from official stores.
  • Read reviews before downloading apps.
  • Keep up to date on updates.
  • Install a security app.

Lost/Stolen Mobile Phones

  • Remove the device from mobile banking access by clicking the ‘Deactivate’ button within your Online Banking.
  • Report the loss to your organization and/or mobile service provider.
  • Report the loss or theft to local authorities.

Mobile Data & Privacy

  • Put a passcode on your phone.
  • Enable encryption if your phone has that functionality.
  • Erase all data off of old phones.
  • Enable the remote wipe facility if possible, so data can be erased even if the phone is lost.
  • Record the IMEI number, so you can block the phone if it's stolen. The IMEI is a number used to identify mobile devices. In most cases, you can determine an IMEI number by dialling * # 06 # on your handset.
  • Protect your back-up phones.
  • Safely dispose of your old phones.
  • KBC Bank Ireland will provide you with a Customer ID, and an activation code together with a Digital Key. You can use the activation code to activate the Digital Key. Once the Digital Key has been activated you should destroy the activation code.
  • Keep your Digital Key in a safe place.
  • Taking care of your PIN: memorise your PIN, do not write it down or provide it to anyone.
  • Storing your Digital Key: only carry your Digital Key when necessary to limit the chance of it being lost or stolen. Check on your Digital Key periodically to make sure it is not missing.
  • Be suspicious of any emails / websites offering something too good to be true; it probably is.
  • Be wary of websites you hand over your credit card details to. Try to ensure that you get a reference about a website before you trust them. Use only reputable and known brands.
  • Never reveal your passwords.
  • Monitor your bank account / credit card statements regularly and report any suspicious activity immediately.