- Consumer Information Center

Watch out for cheating with BLIK!

Ania often uses a popular messaging application on her smartphone. A couple of days ago she received a message from her cousin, with whom she hasn’t talked already for a longer time, with a question: “do you have BLIK”? Ania, a bit puzzled by this direct question, answered “yes”. From time to time she uses this mobile payment service. A moment later she received another message from her cousin asking her to make two payments for PLN 500 each, as she reached her daily limit and must urgently pay for the shopping. She also promised to return the money with surplus the next day, to thank for the help. Ania was confused. She hasn’t seen her cousin for years, their contact was rare and here such a request… Besides, she never experienced that a shop wouldn’t accept other means of payment. She answered she didn’t have this amount and that with the app she only pays for little things, for example a bus ticket. In response her cousin asked for at least one payment.

Ania called her cousin to ask why this transaction was so urgent. A desperate, nervous girl answered the called. She said that she couldn’t access her messenger, because someone had changed the password. It turned out it wasn’t her who sent the messages. Ania wasn’t the only one to be asked for the “loan”. Similar messages were sent to others who had talked with her over the application. Someone has even sent the money already.

Modern technologies make our daily life and communication easier. It is common to use social media and messaging apps. Also mobile payment services are offered by an increasing number of banks and they win support. We must however use our common sense and verify bank operations not to become a victim of swindlers. Ania was vigilant and she didn’t transfer the money to the person who had hacked her cousin’s account. Would she however be this careful if she received a similar message, for example from her husband, asking to make a quick transfer of 100zł? Probably she would send the money to a close person without checking. It is easy to lose caution in the mass of information we receive every day. This is what internet swindlers count on.

How does it work?

A swindler using identification data of a person we know and tries to gain our trust. Criminals usually use “phishing” to get access to a social media account. The goal is to get a BLIK code and the victim’s confirmation of the transaction.

Banks’ terms and conditions usually include statements that one-time passwords (as BLIK codes) shouldn’t be given to others. If we give them out ourselves, a bank won’t accept the complaint.

Be careful!

• Make sure your access passwords are difficult to hack!
• Do not make transfers, if you have doubts!
• Watch out for the “quick” payments!
• Never give your passwords and codes to others!