Funds and Accounts Security

Important Information on Financial Fraud

Scammers are becoming increasingly active with the development of online services around the world. New methods of fraud are constantly being invented in order to gain access to banks customers' funds. You should always be aware of this and take strict security precautions when dealing with the bank.

Most importantly:

Never give your Rietumu ID, online banking data, payment card details and other financial and personal information to anyone!

If you receive an email, a phone call or a message purporting to be from the bank asking you to provide such information, click on a link, open an attached file, etc., do not take any action and immediately contact the bank at + 371 6702555 or via email [email protected].

Remember! The bank never asks their customers to provide or confirm personal identification details, etc.

Before every online transaction make sure you are on the bank's authentic website.

Be careful and cautious when dealing with any channel of communication. If the person you are talking to introduces himself or herself as an employee of the bank or other institution, make sure of it and call the bank or the institution back at the telephone number listed on the website.

Stay always alert!

Main Current Types of Fraud

Tampering with the bank's website or internet bank pages

Fake websites may appear when you type the name of the bank into a search engine, links to them may be also received by email or other means of communication.

Fake websites may look very similar to the real ones.

Remember, any action you take on fake websites can result in losing money.

Always type in the bank's website address manually, do not follow suspicious links.

Phone calls and SMS messages

In this case, fraudsters try to pass themselves off as employees of banks, various services, law enforcement agencies, etc.

The purpose of these calls (under any pretext, including intimidation) is to obtain the data for logging into your Internet bank, payment card details, etc.

Fraudsters may use fake, supposedly bank telephone numbers, call you by name, etc.

Remember, bank’s staff never calls or sends messages asking for any of your identification details. Do not keep up the conversation and call the bank back.

Emails and messages on WhatsApp or any other social media supposedly on behalf of the bank

Such letters may contain various demands for identity information. These may include the pretext of confirming a customer's identity or updating information. Such letters also often contain fake links, including to a fake online bank page or a fake application.

The name of the outgoing address may contain the name of the bank, the fake phone number may also be similar to the bank's number.

Remember, do not open suspicious links or applications you have received. Do not reply to such letters and messages and do not take any other actions. If you receive any such letter, contact the bank.

Emails containing viruses

Such emails include tempting links or applications that contain viruses. They can also be sent on behalf of your friends.

Remember, never open suspicious links or applications. If you are approached as if by a friend or an acquaintance, contact them yourself.

Investment proposals

Using any means of communication, fraudsters try to persuade a bank’s client to invest in incredibly profitable shares, other securities, funds, deposits, start operations on the currency exchange market, etc. In doing so, they promise incredibly large returns.

Remember, the promise of fantastically high profits never turns out to be a reality, and “investors” lose all the money they have invested.

Invest only through a bank or brokerage firm you know and, in any case, remember that an investor always takes the market risks.

Inheritance letters

The authors of such letters usually approach potential victims posing as their heirs or lawyers from a different country who need to receive an inheritance and transfer a large sum of money to do so. A large reward is promised in return.

Remember, the only purpose of these letters is to steal your money. Never reply to such letters and delete them at once.

Fake online stores

Scammers set up websites of non-existent online shops in order to obtain the money transferred for purchases as well as the payment card details.

If you pay on such a fake website, you risk losing all funds that are on your credit card account, as well as any funds that will be transferred to your credit card account in the future.

Remember, buy only from trusted and reputable online retailers. If you find a new online marketplace, look for as many reviews and information about it as possible.

Sending fake invoices, fake lotteries, quizzes, social networking introductions, etc.

In order to obtain your personal information and extort your money scammers can send fake invoices by email, allegedly demanding immediate payment, can invite you to take part in fake lotteries and quizzes, get to know other people on social networks, etc.

Remember, check any information you receive and be cautious when making any electronic contact.

Important! All such actions have only one purpose – to extort personal information in order to gain access to the bank's client's funds.

General safety rules:

  • never give the Rietumu ID number, identification and authorisation means, or payment card details to third parties;
  • do not use computers with public access (public Wi-Fi) to connect to online banking;
  • carefully check your orders before signing them and only confirm only those in which you are sure;
  • monitor all transactions on your accounts on an ongoing basis;
  • when receiving emails, pay attention to the FROM field. The email can be fraudulent, even if the sender's address contains the name of the bank. Do not open attachments in suspicious emails and do not click on links;
  • if you receive a phone call or a text message from a bank or any other entity asking about your personal identification details, do not hold a conversation or correspondence, but call the bank back by yourself;
  • set restricted limits on all your transactions – you can always change them via online banking;
  • fraudsters often try to create an illusion of urgent action necessity – do not do anything in a hurry;
  • if you suspect that your Rietumu ID number, identification and authorisation data or payment card information has become available to third parties, contact the bank immediately.

In case of any suspicion, please contact our 24/7 Information Service by phone + 371 67025555 or your personal manager at Rietumu Bank.

Information on safety can also be found on the Bank of Latvia website.