Skip to content
1408

Cyber hygiene and digital literacy

How to safely use digital services and protect your data

Digital services of the ACC and government online platforms save time for the farmer and the borrower: a loan application can be submitted without visiting the office, and the status of consideration can be checked in your personal account. But this convenience has a downside - scammers are increasingly impersonating banks, government agencies and ACCs in order to lure money or personal information. A few simple rules below will help you use digital services safely.

Important to remember

ACC never calls or writes asking for a password, code from SMS, CVV code of a card or digital signature data. If the interlocutor introduces himself as an employee of ACC or a bank and asks for such data, stop the conversation and call ACC back at the official number 1408.

Strong passwords and login

  • Use your own unique password for each service - if one password is leaked, the other accounts will remain safe.
  • The password should be long and complex: a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, without date of birth, name or simple sequences like “123456”.
  • It’s convenient to use a password manager to store passwords—you don’t need to remember dozens of combinations and write them down on paper or in your phone notes.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (login confirmation via SMS or application) wherever possible - even if scammers find out your password, they will not be able to log into your account without the second factor.
  • Never tell anyone the code from the SMS confirmation - neither by phone nor in instant messenger, even if the caller introduces himself as a bank or ACC employee.

Fraud and phishing

  • Fraudsters often call on behalf of a bank, ACC or government agencies and create a sense of urgency: “your account is blocked,” “the transaction urgently needs to be confirmed.”
  • A common scheme is an SMS or messenger message with a link “your loan is approved” or “receive payment”, which leads to a fake website.
  • Do not follow links from suspicious SMS messages and do not enter your data on such sites - before entering your login and password, check the site address in the address bar of your browser.
  • If you are asked to give a code from an SMS, IIN number, bank card details or a password from your personal account “for verification”, this is a sign of fraud.
  • If in any doubt, hang up and call ACC yourself using the official number, not the number the caller gave.

Protection of personal and banking data

  • Do not provide strangers with your IIN number, bank card details (number, expiration date, CVV code) and electronic digital signature (EDS) data - this is the key to your money and legally significant actions.
  • Do not store the card PIN code, passwords and digital signature access codes in clear form - in phone notes, on paper next to the card, or in messages that can be easily intercepted.
  • Be especially careful when working with your personal account and mobile banking via public Wi-Fi (in cafes, shopping centers, transport) - such networks can be tapped by attackers.
  • Regularly check your account statements and transaction history - early detection of suspicious activity allows you to stop it faster.

Safe work in your ACC personal account

  • Access your personal account only through the official website and the official ACC mobile application - save the address in your bookmarks so as not to make a mistake when entering it manually.
  • If you logged into your personal account from someone else's computer or public device, be sure to end the session (log out of your account) when you are done.
  • Update your mobile application and browser in a timely manner - updates often close vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers.
  • Do not save your personal account password in a browser on public or work computers.

Digital literacy

  • An electronic loan application and government online services (eGov, PSC online and others) save time and reduce the risk of errors compared to paper applications.
  • Look for official information about ACC and its products on the official website agrocredit.kz and in the official ACC accounts on social networks - do not trust information from unknown channels and groups.
  • Checking the site address, the presence of official symbols and the absence of spelling errors helps to distinguish an official source from a fake one - fraudulent sites often copy the design, but make minor inaccuracies.
  • Study the terms of loan products on the official website, and not from the words of intermediaries who offer to “help you get a loan faster” for a fee.

What to do in the event of an incident

  • If you suspect that you have provided fraudsters with your password, SMS code or card details, immediately change the passwords for your personal account and other services where the same password was used.
  • Contact the bank that issued your card to block it and prevent further charges.
  • Contact ACC at the official call center number 1408 to report the incident and check whether your personal account is affected.
  • If you suspect fraud, you can contact the helpline and the internal affairs authorities - timely contact increases the chances of returning funds and stopping the scammers.