KUWAIT CITY, Nov 25: As part of its ongoing efforts to promote financial and banking awareness among all sectors under the umbrella of the “Let’s Be Aware” campaign introduced by the Central Bank of Kuwait, in cooperation with Kuwait Banking Association (KBA), National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) delivered an awareness session on fraud techniques and preventive measures to the students of the American University of Kuwait (AUK).

The session covered various types of financial fraud, including phishing scams, identity theft, and cybersecurity, all of which target individuals online using advanced AI technology.

In addition to highlighting fraud techniques, NBK team provided prevention measures and tips to be followed in case of any suspicious activity. By understanding these schemes, students learned to recognize red flags and took away practical steps for safeguarding their personal and financial information, especially in an increasingly digital financial landscape.

Through interactive examples, real-life scenarios, and a Q&A session, students were able to engage, ask questions, and discuss concerns about digital security in their daily lives. This session wasn’t just about raising awareness—it was about empowering students to be vigilant and proactive in protecting their assets and personal data as they enter the workforce and begin managing their own finances.

The team also advised students to be cautious when dealing with suspicious e-mails, as e-mail phishing is typically made using the logos of well-known organizations such as banks, telecom or big companies, so that the user cannot distinguish between real and fake e-mails.

They also urged students to check that e-mails are from official entities, not clicking links included in e-mails before verifying their source, and to always reject authentication requests from untrusted sources, especially if they have a sense of urgency.

The session also familiarized students with fraud schemes using identity theft, including name, address, account number, or passwords, especially as social media has become part of our daily lives. Therefore, the team warned of sharing any personal or sensitive information on social media, in addition to not clicking the links of fake ads that appear on social media, and not responding to scam calls made using artificial intelligence to steal personal and financial information.

NBK team affirmed that the bank will never ask customers for personal information via e-mail, SMS or phone calls, warning of responding to such messages representing fraud attempts to steal banking or sensitive information or money.

Speaking on this, Sarah Al-Amad, Senior Communications Officer at National Bank of Kuwait said, “NBK always aims to raise financial and banking awareness among all sectors of society, including school and university students. Such visits help promote financial awareness among the youth, especially with the increasing reliance on digital banking”.

“We always call the students to follow the tips provided across the bank’s digital platforms, as scammers tend to employ new methods using AI techniques, therefore, we are intensifying the awareness content published on our pages, in addition to reposting the Central Bank of Kuwait’s related communications,” she added.

“NBK’s efforts in educating customers and combating fraud are instrumental in its strategy, as we believe early education on scams and preventive measures can minimize potential risks and promote financial stability,” she emphasized.

NBK employs its strong customer communication capabilities as well as all its sector-leading digital channels to maximize the exposure of the “Let’s Be Aware” campaign’s objectives among the public.

Launched by the Central Bank of Kuwait, in cooperation with Kuwaiti banks and Kuwait Banking Association (KBA), the “Let’s Be Aware” campaign is the largest across the GCC region focusing on raising banking and financial awareness among banks’ customers. The campaign covers a variety of crucial topics including: anti-fraud tips, maximizing benefit from banking services, promoting savings and investment culture, as well as other related topics.

It is worth mentioning that NBK is a key promoter and partner in all CBK’s campaigns and initiatives to increase financial and banking awareness among all sectors. As the leading financial institution in Kuwait, the bank frequently organizes various activities to raise awareness on all topics related to the banking sector.