Nepal Rastra Bank Warns Public of Rising Digital Fraud Risk During Dashain

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged the public to remain vigilant against digital fraud during the Dashain festival, warning that scammers may become more active during the holiday period when banks and financial institutions operate on limited schedules.

The central bank has advised the public to take extra precautions to protect their hard-earned money from digital scams, emphasizing that a moment of carelessness could result in significant financial losses, including the draining of bank accounts.

NRB has cautioned people against opening unfamiliar links sent in the name of Dashain offers, gifts, bonuses, or other attractive rewards. Scammers often use such schemes to trick users into revealing sensitive banking information or gaining unauthorized access to their accounts. The central bank has therefore advised the public not to click on links received from unknown or unverified sources.

The central bank has also warned against fraudulent phone calls and messages claiming that a person's mobile banking service or bank account has been blocked. Customers should not respond to such messages or click on links provided in them. Instead, they should directly contact their respective bank through its official customer service channels if they have concerns about their account or mobile banking service.

NRB has reminded customers never to share their one-time password (OTP), username, password, or PIN code with anyone. The central bank emphasized that banks do not call customers to request confidential banking credentials. Customers should therefore treat anyone asking for such information as potentially fraudulent.

The central bank has further warned the public about scams involving QR codes. NRB clarified that scanning a QR code is generally used to make a payment, not to receive money. Customers should not scan a QR code or enter their PIN merely because someone claims they are sending money or a reward.

NRB has advised individuals who fall victim to digital fraud or notice any suspicious activity to act immediately. Victims should promptly contact their bank's 24/7 customer service through the official contact number. They can also report the incident to the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau for further assistance and investigation.

The central bank has urged the public to remain cautious throughout the festival and protect their financial information from increasingly sophisticated digital scams.