Money has been withdrawn from my bank card: where and how should I report this?

Nowadays, most Ukrainian banks have their own websites or mobile apps that allow their customers to manage their accounts and carry out a range of transactions using their bank cards without ever putting their phone down, which makes life much easier for users, but at the same time creates problems such as payment card fraud.

As a result of the escalating tensions in the country, caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there has been not only political, economic and military destabilisation, but also a rise in fraud, particularly in the area of banking transactions and the use of bank cards. This risk not only exacerbates the economic hardships faced by Ukrainians, but also poses additional challenges to the security of financial systems and the protection of the public’s personal data.

Before taking any legal action, you must take all necessary steps to minimise further unauthorised debits. To this end, we utilise all possible ‘levers of influence’ available through banking services and technical support.

So, once you have noticed that unauthorised funds have been debited from your card, you need to immediately carry out a series of simple but crucial steps that can help resolve the situation:

1. Log in to your bank’s mobile app and check whether you can access it.

2. If you can access your profile in the app, immediately block the bank card from which the fraudsters have withdrawn funds.

Usually, it’s a matter of seconds rather than minutes, and fraudsters try to withdraw as much money as possible as quickly as they can, so it’s best to use one of two methods: online banking or the helpline. To block your card via online banking, you need to open your bank’s mobile app or website, log in if possible, and select ‘Block’ in the ‘Settings’ section for your card.

If using the bank’s website, you should be careful and check that you have indeed accessed the official bank website, as there is a risk of falling victim to phishing: this is when fraudsters create a website that looks very similar to the original.

3. Contact the bank’s customer service team and inform them of the situation regarding the funds being debited. You can do this by calling them from your mobile phone (customer service numbers are always listed on the bank’s website), or by requesting a call via the website, or via the mobile app by messaging the support chat, where a specialist will be connected to help resolve your issue.

The bank’s customer support number may also be printed on the back of your bank card. A bank representative will verify your passport details and the card number from which the money was debited and which you wish to block. It is important to note that bank staff will never, under any circumstances, ask for your password, PIN or CVV. Therefore, if you receive a call from someone claiming to be a representative of your bank and asking for your card’s PIN, its expiry date or the last three digits on the back, there can only be one answer – they are fraudsters.

Once you have carried out the steps outlined above, your card will be blocked and further transactions will be prevented, whilst the bank will launch an investigation. It is very important that you act swiftly so that, in the event of unauthorised debits, the bank does not blame you for failing to block the card in good time following suspicious activity.

If your bank’s website offers a feature to check the status of a refund request, be sure to use it. To do this, simply enter the refund request number in the search field (if this option is not available, write to the support chat or call the bank’s helpline directly).

Read the full article on the “Liga Zakon” website here.

Money has been withdrawn from my bank card: where and how should I report this?

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