For many people, using online banking or operating with their finances through the Internet causes them a lot of respect. “Gaining security and trust in this field is possible and, on many occasions, it depends more on paying attention to details and using common sense than on being authentic experts in digital matters,” says Xavier Puig, professor of Economics and Business at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona School of Management. This finance expert offers his vision in Mucho por Hacer, CaixaBank’s financial literacy program, created to increase the population’s knowledge of basic economic concepts.
However, this does not have to be a barrier. “Digital banking has many advantages and being able to enjoy them is a matter of daring to take the step while being correctly informed,” says Puig in a new Mucho por Hacer video. “The first piece of advice is the easiest to follow and at the same time the most difficult: don’t be in a hurry! Sometimes, with the stress of day-to-day, rushing leads us not to be prudent and not to apply common sense, and that makes us not pay close attention to details, â€she transfers.
The human factor is key in cyberattacks. For this reason, experts recommend adopting good digital practices. “You should never provide secret passwords, or personal or bank details, if they ask for them by email, SMS or by phone,” says Puig. In addition, “although the bank can contact its customers through calls or emails, it will never, and I am making special emphasis here, never ask for confidential data or passwords in this way,” she remarks.
Checking the sender of these messages is key. It is quite common that, in the event of a scam, some letter is altered or there is an error in this part of the email address. “We must pay close attention to the name, check that it is not a meaningless code of numbers or letters. And the associated domain, that is, the address that goes after the at symbol, has to be that of your bankâ€, warns Puig.
“Although it appears to be a legitimate message, we must think:” Is what they are asking me normal? When in doubt, we should never click on any link or open any attached file, either by email or SMSâ€, explains the expert. If, despite everything, we believe that we have fallen into the trap, “we must urgently contact our bank to block our access credentials to the account and cards and change them immediately,” he advises.
Keeping our electronic devices updated to protect them from cybercriminals is another simple strategy that we can follow. And, again applying common sense, take into account all those messages that cause us suspicion. “If they ask us for money, let’s be suspicious! And much more if they use arguments such as extreme urgency, threats about the cancellation of our accounts or certain news or topics that may be current, “says Puig.
In short, we must make use of a basic rule. “As at home, always close the door when you go out; that is, after using a website or an application, it is not enough to exit the window, but we must use the option to close the sessionâ€, explains the professor of Economics and Business. To follow these and other tips, a specific section on the subject can be consulted on the CaixaBank website.
In addition to the contribution of the expert Xavier Puig, enMucho por Hacer monthly interviews leaders of culture, sports and gastronomy, among others, to illustrate, with their personal experience, the importance of basic financial concepts such as entrepreneurship, savings and investment, family economy, indebtedness or bank security, among others.
In the last chapter, the illusionist Antonio DÃaz, known as El Mago Pop, was interviewed, who spoke of the importance of being cautious and paying attention to details so that his secrets are not revealed.
Together with the presentation of the Mucho por Hacer program, the entity has created a hub, located within the entity’s global financial culture portal, through which it disseminates all the basic financial concepts linked to the most frequent vital projects of the population.
CaixaBank continues to work on a daily basis with the aim of disseminating knowledge and making everyone aware of the importance of acquiring a good financial culture. In addition, it promotes training activities that cover the specific needs of young people, the elderly, entrepreneurs or people in a vulnerable situation, through specialized workshops, training courses and conferences.
