IDBank has said that the “golden hour” principle applies to digital and financial security as well: if personal data has fallen into the hands of scammers, the first hours often determine how much damage can be done. During that period, criminals may try to withdraw money, take out loans in someone else’s name, or regain access to other services.
If a bank card or its details may be compromised, the bank advises customers to block the card immediately through the app or contact the bank using its official phone number. It says customers should not wait for the first suspicious transaction to appear.
If a SIM card suddenly stops working, or calls and SMS messages disappear, IDBank says the customer should contact the mobile operator right away. Control over a phone number can allow scammers to receive verification codes and restore access to other accounts.
For messengers, social media accounts and email, customers who still have access should terminate unknown sessions, change passwords and enable two-factor protection. If access has already been lost, they should use only the official recovery procedure. The bank stresses that cutting off access for scammers should come first, with the reconstruction of events left for later.
IDBank also advises people not to delete suspicious messages, alerts or correspondence, and to preserve evidence, including screenshots of bank transactions and login attempts. If money has already been stolen or data has been used by fraudsters, that information may be needed by the bank and law enforcement. The bank also recommends securing the main “keys” first — the phone number and email account — and warning contacts if a messenger or social media profile has been hacked.
