Bizum has become the preferred payment platform in Spain. This new modality to make transfers with only a phone number has a strong impact on the world of personal finance: it has about 20 million active users. But those who use it must comply with the rules of this app if they want to avoid a fine from the Treasury. And this is not all: they must also be especially careful not to fall into scams, since this service is the new target of cybercriminals.
To pay for a dinner or shopping in a store, balance the accounts of a trip … Bizum is already an indispensable application on any mobile phone. Although it is a secure payment platform, the more people use it, the greater the chance that it will be violated. However, these cybercrimes can be avoided if you are alert and wary of any warning signs. Hence, the use of technology implies a great responsibility.
Keep in mind that it is only possible to associate a bank account with a phone number. One of the most common doubts about its use refers to the Treasury and the Income Tax return and how bank transfers are taxed. Thanks to tools like Bizum, up to 500 euros can be exchanged in just a few seconds. But it is not possible to make more than 60 money transfers per month, except for companies and businesses that use this system, which are not subject to any limit and will be able to operate normally.
What are the most common scams of Bizum
One of the most common scams is that of the ‘false purchase’. This consists of the victim offering a product for sale and receiving a message from a supposed buyer, who tells him that he will transfer the money for the item through Bizum. The seller receives a notification from the app that he interprets as a payment notice and, without paying attention, hits the ‘accept’ button. At the same time he discovers that this was not a notice, but a request for payment, and that he has just sent that amount, not entered it. When you try to communicate with that person, you get no response, nor will you hear from the scammer again.
Another scam consists of posing as a representative of Social Security or some other state agency. By WhatsApp or a call, they indicate to the person that this agency has to send them a certain amount of money -such as benefit, return …-. As in the previous case, the victim receives a notification and accepts it thinking that the money enters his account, when in fact he is the one who transfers the money from his own account.
Therefore, the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, led by José Luis Escrivá, and the Civil Guard warn that no public administration body makes refunds for Bizum. Thus, they clarify that all the procedures are carried out through their official websites.
How can I avoid having money stolen by Bizum
The main advice to follow to avoid falling into a trap of cybercriminals is obvious: be careful when using Bizum and not trust all the notifications you receive. If it is too late for this, the next thing to do is follow the steps indicated on the Bizum website itself.
There are many forms of scam that criminals put into practice, but one of the most widespread is one that requests a camouflaged payment of income so that the victim accepts quickly. In addition, sometimes, they get in touch asking for the return of a payment by Bizum that has been sent by mistake, even posing as friends or acquaintances. In these cases, users must give consent to make the transaction, so it is essential to calmly read the notifications and make sure of the veracity of what you say.
Another recommendation of the experts is not to click on links whose origin is unknown and their destination is uncertain. Added to this is the need not to accept transactions from people who are not part of your contact list: you never have to provide access data. The company itself points out that “no official body makes payments through Bizum, as recalled by Social Security”.
What can I do if I have been ripped off in Bizum
All the information of the operations that are carried out is registered in the systems. This allows that there is always a trace and data of the person who has stolen the money, so it will not be so complex to solve the scam as soon as possible. But, for this to be carried out, it is essential to report the scam to the Police, so that they take action and you can recover the money. Likewise, must be communicated to the bank as soon as possible.
After doing this, we just have to wait. From Bizum they point out that the platform will collaborate in the persecution of the alleged fraudster, providing the data it has with respect to the competent authorities that request it officially.
