PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (BNI) reminds the public to increase their vigilance against various cybercrime methods, particularly phishing, as transaction activity surges during Ramadan and the lead-up to Eid al-Fitr. The holiday allowance (THR) disbursement period is often exploited by digital criminals to target people's savings.
BNI Corporate Secretary Okki Rushartomo said the increase in financial transactions during Ramadan also increases the risk of cyber-attacks.
"Customers need to increase their vigilance against increasingly sophisticated digital fraud schemes, especially ahead of Eid when financial transactions increase significantly," Okki said in a written statement.
According to him, phishing remains one of the most common forms of cybercrime. In this method, perpetrators impersonate official institutions or trusted parties to steal personal data, such as usernames, passwords, OTP codes, and even credit card information.
Phishing attacks are typically carried out via email, text messages (SMS), phone calls, or social media. The perpetrators send seemingly convincing messages to trick victims into clicking on fake links, opening malicious attachments, or providing sensitive information without their knowledge.
Okki explained that phishing can be a gateway to more serious crimes, ranging from identity theft to account takeovers and illegal transactions that harm customers. In fact, recent trends show attacks are becoming increasingly targeted and difficult to detect due to the use of artificial intelligence technology.
Some signs to look out for include suspicious sender email addresses, the use of generic greetings like “Dear Customer,” urgent language, and links that resemble official websites but have different addresses.
BNI urges customers to always check the sender's address and ensure messages come from an official source. They are also asked to avoid opening attachments from unknown senders, enable two-factor authentication (2FA), and use strong and unique passwords.
"Don't forget, and most importantly, don't carelessly click on links or links shared via email, chat, SMS, and so on," Okki emphasized.
He added that customers should not share personal data, PINs, passwords, or OTP codes with anyone, including those claiming to be from the bank. If they encounter suspicious activity or suspected phishing, they can report it via email to cert@bni.co.id.
BNI also confirmed that all official information is only delivered through official company channels, such as BNI Call 1500046, the Instagram account @bni46, the X accounts @BNI and @BNICustomerCare, and the BNI Facebook page. Complaints regarding alleged fraud involving BNI accounts can also be made through the Financial Services Authority's Indonesia Anti-Scam Center (IASC) at iasc.ojk.go.id.
BNI emphasized that digital security is a shared responsibility between banks and customers. By increasing literacy and vigilance in transactions, it is hoped that the public can maintain the security of their funds, including THR (Holiday Allowance), and avoid the growing threat of cybercrime.