Phishing

Phishing is an attempt by malicious parties to exploit human weaknesses in order to obtain sensitive personal information, such as: account details, personal details, credit card numbers, and so on. In many cases, phishing is conducted through fraudulent phone calls or messages that claim to be from a “legitimate” person or institution – emails, text messages, or messages through apps like WhatsApp that contain links to a spoof site similar to the genuine Bank of Jerusalem website.

Many phishing scams aim to gain access to bank accounts and perform transactions without your permission.

How can I identify a phishing attempt?

The malicious message will ask you to respond immediately or tell you to click a link that will take you to a spoof site that looks like the real Bank of Jerusalem site.

A few tips to help you identify a phishing message:

• From: The sender's email address will be unknown or suspicious in some other way
• To: The message will normally have been sent to a whole list of recipients who are not familiar to you
• Subject: The subject line does not match the message contents, or includes "re:" or "fwd:" as if responding to a message you never sent
• Date: Phishing messages are often sent at unusual times – such as late at night, on weekends, or during public holidays
• Links: Links that go to different websites than the ones displayed in the links; misspelled URLs; messages that contain only links and no other information
• Spelling & Grammatical Errors: These messages often contain spelling mistakes, strange grammar, or typos
• Message Contents: Phishing messages generally request personal details or sensitive information, like passwords, credit card numbers, or OTP codes. Usually they also sound very urgent, as they try to make you reply quickly without thinking it over

Always remember that Bank of Jerusalem representatives will never ask you to reveal your password in any way.

Received a suspicious message or phone call? Best to be cautious and immediately call the Bank of Jerusalem customer service center at *5727.
It is important to remember that, even though Bank of Jerusalem may send you messages or contact you by phone occasionally, our representatives will never ask you for identification details or other personal information for verification or operational purposes.
If anyone calls and asks you to tell them your password or the OTP code that has been sent to you by text message, hang up and contact the Bank of Jerusalem customer service center, which can verify whether it was a legitimate call.

How do I protect myself from phishing?

• Never give out any personal information, such as your ID number, bank account number, credit card number, or Bank of Jerusalem username and password
• Do not tell anyone the verification information for your bank account, even if someone claims to be from Bank of Jerusalem or acting on its behalf
• If an email looks suspicious, delete it immediately, without opening it
• If someone requests your information, verify their identity by accessing the Bank of Jerusalem website or directly calling the branch/center that allegedly requires your details
• Do not enter your email address and password on any unfamiliar website
• Be wary of any “tempting” or too-good-to-be-true benefits that are sent to your personal email account

For your convenience, the Bank of Jerusalem always displays the date and time of your last account login on the “Balances & Transactions” page of the website and the app. If you see any unauthorized activity, or are concerned that there may be unauthorized activity on your account, you must immediately notify the Bank of Jerusalem customer service center at *5727.

what to do in case of phishing?

If you respond to a suspicious message that may be a phishing attempt, notify Bank of Jerusalem immediately by dialing *5727.
If you have entered any personal information on a spoof site (like your ID number, bank account number, or Bank of Jerusalem username and password), log into the genuine Bank of Jerusalem website or app, change your password immediately, and notify the Bank's service center.
If you have entered any credit card details on a spoof site, contact your credit card company or the Bank's service center immediately to receive further guidance.

SIM Hijacking

Also known as SIM swapping, SIM hijacking is an attack where hackers manage to steal your mobile phone number in one of two ways:

1. Moving your number to the attacker’s phone.
2. Asking your mobile carrier to replace your current SIM with the attacker’s new SIM (through identity theft).

Every mobile carrier has a service that enables them to port a telephone number currently associated with one SIM card to a different device with a different SIM card. This is designed to let you keep the same phone number in the event that your phone is stolen or you decide to switch carriers.

During these attacks, the hackers impersonate you using basic personal details they have managed to gather from various sources. They then ask a representative at the mobile carrier to port your number to an alternative SIM card in the hackers’ possession. This phone number, plus your ID number and other basic details, are sufficient to gain access to your bank account, where they can then easily change your password and start making transfers.

Protect Yourself Against SIM Hijacking:

• If you are not able to activate your mobile network for a period of time, it is recommended to contact the mobile carrier and ensure that your number has not been transferred. It is important to update the Bank in the event of any issue
• If your phone number changes, make sure that you notify the Bank so that the new, updated number appears in all systems
• Register to receive text message alerts that will notify you of all bank account transactions, and keep an eye out for unusual account activity
• If you receive unexpected or unsolicited text messages and emails requesting personal or financial information, treat them with suspicion, even if they were allegedly sent by the Bank
• Avoid posting personal details (like your phone number, date of birth, elementary school, pet’s name, etc.) on social media, as malicious agents may use them to answer the security questions common in many applications
• It is recommended to check with your mobile carrier if there are any additional security measures that can be implemented to prevent your number being ported without your approval
• If your phone is stolen, it is recommended to ask your mobile carrier to block the number as soon as possible, and also notify the Bank about the incident

Customer Activity Records in the Bank's Computer Systems

Please be aware that Bank of Jerusalem records all customer transactions and instructions, including their content and date.

If you suspect unauthorized use of your account or the theft of information used to verify your identity for the website, loss or theft of a mobile phone, misuse of a mobile phone, or a change in your phone number, notify the Bank immediately in the way that is most convenient for you: