Money is stolen from a Cuban woman's bank account: "Her balance is now zero."

The Banco de Crédito y Comercio de Cuba (BANDEC) recently shared an alert on its Telegram profile regarding the rise in cyber thefts from bank accounts.

The most recent case involves a Cuban woman from Matanzas who discovered that the balance in her account had been reduced to zero.

"They stole the money from my bank account! I don't know how it happened, I just know that my balance was at zero," said the victim.

This fact highlights the growing concern over cyber theft on the island, where criminals employ various strategies to deceive individuals and obtain their personal information. They operate with caution and precision, executing their plans at the right moment.

They use tricks to obtain data by exploiting the naivety and lack of financial knowledge of many Cuban users. In the current context of economic fluctuations and high inflation, these crimes become even more devastating for those affected.

Since March 2022, BANDEC has been promoting the campaign "Take Care of Your Money." They assert that it aims to enhance the financial education of the population regarding the safe use of electronic banking.

However, it is important to highlight that the Cuban government promoted a banking process for which the population was unprepared. There is very little knowledge of cybersecurity, a lack of understanding of how to operate with magnetic cards, and extremely limited access to technology in the country to learn and seek advice.

The campaign's recommendations include not leaving wallets in accessible places, using magnetic cards in a personal and non-transferable manner, and changing passwords regularly. Many Cubans lack the knowledge and technological skills to meet these requirements.

BANDEC advises against sharing account statements or recent transactions, to operate only through official applications or websites, and to visit the bank branch in case of loss or theft of cards for their cancellation.

To protect themselves against cyber theft, Cuban banking institutions recommend that users:

• Do not share your PIN and access keys.
• Do not send photos of your identity card or personal and banking information.
• Avoid accessing unknown payment links.
• Be cautious of screenshots of transactions or confirmations, as they may be fake.
• Do not execute codes that erase the payment application registry.

If you fall victim to a scam, you should take screenshots of all evidence, cancel the affected cards, and report the case to the National Revolutionary Police (PNR).

Additional tips for protecting your bank accounts:

• Use secure and unique passwords for each website.
• Avoid using the "Remember password" option.
• Do not share personal information on social media or participate in tests that request sensitive data.

This incident underscores the importance of being well-informed and following safe practices to protect financial resources in an increasingly digital world, for which many Cubans, as is evident, are still not prepared.