Now prohibited: what 'surprise' awaits bank card owners in January.

Bank card owners have been urged to be vigilant, especially when withdrawing large sums of cash at ATMs. This is reported by 'Hvylya', citing the press service of PrivatBank.

QR codes in banking services have become popular among various groups of clients, including elderly people. They are particularly convenient to use when withdrawing cash at ATMs. However, certain risks may arise when using this technology, which it is important for clients to be aware of.

It has indeed simplified the cash withdrawal process. According to PrivatBank, to obtain money, you just need to perform three simple actions: scan the QR code displayed on the ATM screen via the Privat24 application, enter your card's PIN code, after which you can take the cash. The main advantage of this method is that the bank card is not needed.

'No matter how you spin it, the QR code is a very convenient thing. That's why we often use it in the bank's services,' the bank emphasized.

However, online security expert Vladlen Kurilo warns about the need to exercise caution when using bank cards. Special attention should be paid to those who regularly withdraw large sums of money.

After the New Year holidays, starting from January 9, when the banking system returned to full operation, it is important to follow certain security rules when using bank cards. These measures are necessary to protect money from scammers. Kurilo emphasizes that there are a number of actions that should categorically be avoided from this moment on.

According to the expert, scammers have recently begun to actively use QR code technology for their purposes. Scammers use the following tactic: they call bank card owners and introduce themselves as bank employees. During the conversation, they inform about supposedly suspicious transactions on the client's card. To create a sense of urgency and panic, they often speak in an agitated or hysterical tone, persistently convincing the person to immediately cancel this non-existent transaction.

'Scammers claim that someone is trying to withdraw money from the card and offer to generate a code in the app to cancel the transaction. If the person agrees and sends the code, the attackers will gain access to the personal account and be able to withdraw all funds from the account,' Kurilo explained.

In this regard, he strongly recommends that all bank card owners establish a strict rule for themselves: do not share information about such codes, and do not transmit it to third parties.

Kerna Smith from Zimperium, a company specializing in mobile security systems, also commented to RBC-Ukraine that there is currently an 'exponential increase in targeted attacks on mobile devices, many of which are phishing attempts.'

'QR phishing or Quishing is a powerful attack vector for attackers since they can widely use QR codes, while most corporate anti-phishing systems are not adapted to scan QR codes,' the expert said.

Recalling, PrivatBank has updated services for entrepreneurs.