Tips from BPI: How not to be a Victim of Fake Emails and Phishing Scams

by

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has constantly been issuing a warning to users of BPI ExpressOnline (BPI EOL), its online banking facility, against phishing emails. Phishing — pronounced “fishing” as in “fishing for information” — is a type of deception designed to steal one’s personal data such as credit card numbers, passwords, and account login information.

How to check whether an email is a phishing email or not is discussed in our Tips to Protect yourself from Phishing Scams article.

BPI also recently published a Facebook note that includes additional tips on how to ensure you won’t be a victim of phishing. Read their informative post here: How Not to be a Victim of Phishing Scams.

Below are specific tips on using BPI ExpressOnline that BPI recommends account holders to adopt.

===============

Phishing Scams on the Rise

Phishing e-mails are sent to trick you into revealing personal and financial information. Don’t be a victim.

We suggest that you use this short checklist to protect yourself against phishing attacks.

1. Begin your session by manually typing the web address of BPI into your browser.

The official URL of BPI Express Online is www.bpiexpressonline.com.

2. Avoid disclosing personal or account details via email or embedded link.

Be skeptical of unsolicited e-mails, especially those that concern personal / account information.

Delete suspicious emails or email attachments without opening them, even if they seem to have originated from someone you know.

3. Notify the sending company if you receive a suspicious email.

Contact us directly through Express Phone 89-100 or email us at expressonline@bpi.com.ph.

4. Check the security certificate of the web page.

Before entering personal or account information into a site, make sure it is secure.

In Internet Explorer, you can do this by checking the yellow lock on the status bar. A closed lock is an indication of an encrypted site.

If you think you may have responded to a suspicious email, change your password for Express Online as soon as possible. To change your password, login to www.bpiexpressonline.com and go to Account Maintenance –> Change Password.

We wish to reiterate that BPI will never send you an e-mail asking for information on your username and password. The Bank’s websites are protected by a 128-bit SSL encryption and Verisign’s Security Certificate. We would also like to remind you of the following legitimate website addresses of the Bank:

www.bpiexpressonline.com
www.bpitrade.com
www.bpiexpressbills.com
www.bpidirect.com

Image credits: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)

Must read these other related, useful articles:

About the Author

James Ryan Jonas teaches business strategy, investments, and entrepreneurship at the University of the Philippines (UP). He is also the Executive Director of UP Provident Fund Inc., managing and investing P3.1 Billion ($56 Million) worth of retirement funds on behalf of thousands of UP employees.
blank

PSEi support seen at 6,200 and 6,000 amid weaker Peso

In a not-so-surprising move, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) yesterday raised interest rates by 75 basis points (bps) or 0.75% in a bid to tame rising inflation in the United States. This was the third consecutive 0.75% rate hike by the Fed, which brings the federal funds rate, the central bank’s benchmark interest rate, to ... Read more
blank

Official SWIFT Code of BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Philippine banks

When sending cash remittances or wire transfer to a bank account in the Philippines (such as BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Landbank, DBP, etc.), you’ll surely need the SWIFT Code of the bank. Look no further because you can find all the SWIFT Codes you need in this list! Make sure you’re using the right bank code ... Read more
blank

How to Waive your Credit Card Annual Fee (BDO, BPI, Metrobank, RCBC, Citibank, UnionBank)

Without a doubt, one of the most annoying fees that credit cardholders have to pay is the annual fee. Majority of cardholders are familiar with this fee and majority of us likely pay this grudgingly year after year after year. In the case of my credit card with BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands), I’m ... Read more
blank

Why Filipinos do not become business owners or entrepreneurs

For a majority of Filipinos, entrepreneurship does not seem to be a typical, expected path. This is not surprising, considering that in school, students are primarily taught to become employees after graduation. Students train for years to become staff workers, reporting to a supervisor, and just waiting to receive their wages or salaries every month. ... Read more
blank

My experience investing in Mutual Funds in the Philippines

I started investing in mutual funds when I was 22 years old. As an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) then, I was fortunate to be able to save some money at that young age because of my work abroad. One time while I was on vacation in the Philippines, I saw a large billboard in EDSA ... Read more
blank

Income Tax Tables in the Philippines (2022)

The Philippines’ new tax reform bill, known as TRAIN or Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, was signed into law on December 19, 2017 and its implementation began on January 1, 2018. What are the new income tax rates under the TRAIN law? How will TRAIN affect income taxes of individuals and corporations? How is the ... Read more
blank

PSE Stocks Performance under each Philippine President (1987-2021)

Did you know that Philippine stocks were able to achieve an astounding growth of 800% in a span of 30 years? From 1987 until 2018, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose from 1,000 points to a peak of 9,000 points — generating a return of 800% over 30 years. (The PSEi is an index ... Read more
blank

SSL 2022: Salary Increases for Teachers, Nurses, Gov’t Employees

Good news to all government employees! There’s a new round of salary increases beginning January 1, 2022! Millions of employees of the Philippine government — including public school teachers, nurses and staff of government hospitals, and workers in local and national government agencies, etc. — will be getting an automatic salary adjustment this 2022 under ... Read more
blank

PSE Trading Hours in 2022: What time open, when closed?

Before you take the plunge into stock trading and investing, make sure you understand what stocks are and how the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) operates. Unlike other investments that are relatively safe, stock trading is risky and loss of money is a possibility. So before you deep dive into the exciting world of stock trading, ... Read more

Price Floor and Price Ceiling of PSE Stocks

Trading bands in the PSE come in two forms: Price Ceiling, or the upper price limit, and Price Floor, or the lower price limit.

2 thoughts on “Tips from BPI: How not to be a Victim of Fake Emails and Phishing Scams”

  1. Internet Explorer 7 also has an anti-phishing feature. It warns the user if a website appears to be a phishing website.

    Best tip to guard against phishing: be vigilant, be informed.

    More power Pinoy Money Talk! Keep our readers informed!

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Pinoy Money Talk

We are a money-oriented website in the Philippines focusing on the stock market, banking, entrepreneurship, and investment opportunities.

Follow Us on fb

© 2022 Pinoy Money Talk

About Terms of Service & Privacy Policy