Bank customers are complaining about delays in call center response times when trying to report fraud, either due to an automated response or the lengthy process of navigating through multiple options before being connected to a specialized employee. They told "Emirates Today" that scammers and hackers execute their operations in under a minute, while some banks take four or five minutes to respond, urging banks to establish a dedicated, direct hotline for reporting fraud that is staffed 24/7 and separate from other services. They pointed out that the service to block a bank card or close an account via the bank's smart app is not always available, especially during technical glitches, maintenance, or if the customer lacks internet access, or is elderly. Therefore, a quick call to the call center should be the simplest solution. They added that some hacking attempts do not succeed and may only require changing a password or consulting a bank employee before closing an account or blocking a card, considering these matters that also require prompt attention. A banker, Mustafa Ahmed, commented that all banks have dedicated channels for reporting fraud or account breaches, which is usually the fastest option when calling the call center. He added that in case of a successful breach, funds are withdrawn very quickly, so it is crucial for customers to be extremely cautious, protect their banking data, and only deal with trusted websites. If a customer receives a suspicious link or message, they should wait and contact the bank before responding, as these proactive steps constitute 90% of protection. A service center official at a bank in Abu Dhabi, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the best way to handle hacking attempts or fraud is to use the smart app to block the card or freeze the account, then call the call center. He noted that over 95% of customers currently use the app easily. The bank has reduced the number of employees in call centers as it has almost provided all services through the app and website, investing heavily in this. He explained that call centers can be busy at certain times, and have fewer staff on weekends and public holidays, but the fraud reporting option remains the fastest to get a response. He stressed that customers must immediately request their card to be stopped or their account frozen before going into details, but what happens is that some customers try to inquire and understand the procedures or stop the breached payments, which is not always possible, especially if they have entered a one-time password. Customers must be very vigilant, as extreme caution is required given the strong use of artificial intelligence in hacking operations.
