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Online Banking Privacy Notice
This Online Privacy Notice pertains to Bank Audi's website and mobile application. It outlines Bank Audi’s commitment to manage /use your information and safeguard its privacy and confidentiality, in compliance with the provisions of the Lebanese laws (The Law) and regulations, including Lebanese Banking Secrecy and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements promulgated by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on 27 April 2016 (as per Central Bank basic circular 146). In the event of discrepancy or inconsistency between the provisions of the Law and those of GDPR, the provisions of the Law will prevail.
Collection and Usage of Your Personal Information
Personal data collected may include but is not limited to: name and family details, contact and address information, identification information (such as photos, passport, ID card, etc.), financial and tax information, transaction history, usage and device information (IP address, browser type, device used, etc.), as well as cookies and similar technologies.
Bank Audi collects personal and sensitive information in the normal course of business to provide services to clients and might store them as per the security measures mentioned hereinabove and for such time as necessary to meet the following legitimate purposes, including but not limited to:
- Operational and Transactional Activities: Your personal data will be processed to execute operational and transactional activities related to your banking relationship, such as account management, transaction processing, identity verification for secure account access and compliance with banking procedures and regulations;
- Risk Assessment to Enroll Clients in Products/Services: We will utilize your personal data to assess risks associated with loan allocations and other products/services, recover debt, ensuring responsible lending practices and effective risk management;
- Marketing and Promotional Activities: Your data may be used for marketing, promotional, and advertising purposes, including personalized marketing campaigns, product promotions, and market analysis to enhance our services;
- Data Analytics: We may analyze your personal data to gain insights into customer behavior, preferences, and trends, enabling us to improve our products, services, and overall customer experience;
- Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Obligations: Personal data will be processed to fulfill legal and regulatory requirements imposed by relevant authorities, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards;
- Complaint management: Personal data may be used to investigate claims and ensure their resolution;
- Fraud prevention and Anti-Money Laundering checks: Personal data may be used for detecting and preventing fraud, as well as checking your identity before providing you with services;
- Insurance cover: Personal data may be used to recover claims under contracted insurance policies;
- Communication and Support: Personal data is collected and used to effectively communicate with individuals regarding services, updates, and important notices, as well as to provide prompt support and assistance;
- Administrative Communication: Data may also be used to convey important administrative information, such as updates to privacy notices or terms & conditions;
- Survey Participation: Individuals may be invited to participate in surveys and promotions to improve services and offerings.
We will inform you of any additional processing and seek your consent, when necessary.
Information Bank Audi May Collect Online
Bank Audi may collect Information that neither explicitly reveal individual identities nor allows for their identification, and that doesn’t even directly pertain to any specific persons. This includes information obtained via cookies, browser details, and other technologies, as well as demographic and user-provided data. The Bank may collect such information in diverse ways, including but not limited to:
- Browser: Some information is collected by the majority of browsers, such as your Media Access Control (MAC) address, operating system version, internet browser type and version as well as your screen resolution. Bank Audi may use this information to ensure that the site is functioning properly and for security reasons as well.
- Cookies: Cookies are small text files that are sent to and stored on your computer, Smartphone or other device for accessing the internet, whenever you visit a website. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognize a user's device. It allows the Bank to collect information such as pages visited and time spent on the site. This information is used for security purposes, to facilitate navigation, display information more effectively, personalize/customize your experience while visiting the site, and recognize your device to allow you to use the Bank’s online services. Statistical information about the usage of the site is collected to continually improve its design and functionality. The browsers of most computers, smartphones and other web-enabled devices are typically set up to accept cookies. If you wish to adjust your cookies preferences for this site, you can do this through your browser settings. Your browser's “Help” function will guide you through it. You can reject these cookies and most browsers offer their own privacy settings for cookies. You will need to manage your cookies settings for each device and browser you use. However, if you do not accept these cookies, you may experience some inconvenience when using the site and some online products and services.
- IP Address: Your Internet Protocol (IP) address is a number that is automatically assigned to your device by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your IP Address is recognized and logged on the Bank’s servers whenever you visit the website. The time of the visit and the page(s) that were visited are also logged. IP Addresses are used for purposes such as calculating site usage levels, diagnosing server problems, for compliance and security purposes and for administering the site.
- Pixel tags, web beacons, or other technologies: These may be used to measure the effectiveness of Bank Audi communications, compile statistics about usage and response rates, evaluate the success of marketing campaigns, and to help resolve account holders’ inquiries.
- Combined Data: Combined Data is data that Bank Audi may create or combine from various sources, including but not limited to accounts and transactions. This information, which does not identify individual account holders, is used for business purposes, which may include research, marketing or analyzing market trends, offering products or services, and other purposes consistent with the applicable laws and regulations.
Security Measures
In strict adherence to Lebanese laws and regulations, including GDPR requirements, as Bank Audi employs robust security measures to protect personal and sensitive information from unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.
These measures encompass physical security protocols, organizational controls, cutting-edge technological safeguards such as encryption and multifactor authentication, among others. It is imperative that you maintain the confidentiality of your credentials, and promptly report any suspected unauthorized access to your Mobile/Website account to Bank Audi Help Desk using the contact details available on the website (Contact Us), and/or refer to your Branch.
Additionally, please note that Bank Audi will never request your credentials through unsolicited communications or emails, in accordance with GDPR regulations.
Information Accuracy
We are committed to maintaining the accuracy and completeness of your personal and sensitive information. Should you identify inaccuracies in your account details, please promptly notify a Customer Service Officer at your nearest branch for rectification. This commitment to data accuracy aligns with GDPR principles of data integrity and accountability.
Advertising
Bank Audi engages in advertising activities on its website and affiliated platforms. Information collected through these channels, including browsing patterns and responses to advertisements, is utilized to tailor promotional content and enhance user experience. We limit access to such data for specific advertising purposes, ensuring compliance with GDPR regulations.
Third Party Sites
Bank Audi may collaborate with advertising companies to promote products and services on external websites. While we may utilize combined data and user information for targeted advertising, it is important to note that Bank Audi will ensure that third-party websites are compliant with its own internal policies and procedures, which follows Lebanese laws and regulations including GDPR. We encourage users to review third-party websites policies for additional information.
Social Media
Bank Audi utilizes various social media platforms, to facilitate online sharing and collaboration among users. Content posted on official social media pages, managed by Bank Audi, such as opinions, pictures, or personal information, is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policies of those platforms. We urge you to review these policies to understand your rights and obligations regarding such content. Furthermore, visiting any official Bank Audi social media page subjects you to the Terms & Conditions of this Bank Audi Online Privacy Notices.
Other Sites
Bank Audi may provide links to third-party websites, such as merchants or service providers. While we strive to ensure the security and privacy of our website, we cannot guarantee the practices of external websites. Therefore, we recommend reviewing the privacy and security policies of such websites to ascertain their compliance with applicable regulations.
Notice Updates and Changes
This Online Privacy Notice may be updated periodically to reflect changes in technology, regulations, or services. We will provide notifications to data subjects about significant changes.
Revisions to this notice become effective immediately upon posting, and your continued usage of the site signifies acceptance of updated terms.
Recipients of Your Data
In compliance with Lebanese laws and regulations, including GDPR requirements, we may transmit or process your Personal Data to authorized parties, including the board of directors, outsourcing entities, business partners, and regulatory authorities, both domestically and internationally. Disclosure to governmental bodies or judicial authorities occurs only as mandated by law and in adherence to their requirements.
Liability Disclaimer
In no event shall Bank Audi s.a.l, its affiliates, directors, officers, employees, or agents be liable for any damages arising from the use or inability to use our services, including direct or indirect losses, expenses, or system failures.
Should you have any inquiries or concerns regarding our Privacy Notice or data practices, please contact us for further assistance.
For detailed information on Bank Audi’s GDPR Data Protection Policy, click here
Information Security Tips
As part of Bank Audi's commitment and continuous efforts to keep your account and personal information safe and secure, here are a few useful tips you should follow:
Social Engineering
Social engineering is a technique used to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging confidential information by tricking or misleading them to bypass security measures and tools. The purpose is to gather confidential information from people through phone, email, regular mail, unsolicited text messages (SMS) or direct contact and use this information in illegal activities such as committing fraud, gaining unauthorized access to systems, etc.
Tips to recognize an act of social engineering
During a social engineering attack, the attacker usually:
Tips to avoid being the victim of social engineering
What you should do if you are the victim of social engineering
If you suspect you are a victim of a social engineering attack, immediately report the incident to Bank Audi’s Help Desk and/or your branch manager. Cancelling your credit card and/or changing your e-banking User ID and Password might be required depending on the nature of the information you revealed.
Tips to recognize an act of social engineering
During a social engineering attack, the attacker usually:
- Requests the victim to provide confidential and personal information.
- Refuses to provide specific information or indications that may reveal his/her identity.
- Uses different approaches and techniques that rely on confidence, persuasion, intimidation, assistance, etc.
- Attempts to mislead and/or intimidate the victim in order to obtain quick and spontaneous responses.
Tips to avoid being the victim of social engineering
- Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls or emails from individuals requesting personal or confidential information. Verify their identity first by contacting their organization directly.
- Do not use contact information provided by these individuals; instead, check previous statements or other sources for contact information.
- Always check whether the individual requesting sensitive information is authorized to have this information.
- Do not be influenced by the attackers’ attitude and do not take what you are told for granted. Always verify the identity of the requester and his/her authority to have the information.
What you should do if you are the victim of social engineering
If you suspect you are a victim of a social engineering attack, immediately report the incident to Bank Audi’s Help Desk and/or your branch manager. Cancelling your credit card and/or changing your e-banking User ID and Password might be required depending on the nature of the information you revealed.
Fraudulent Emails and Websites
Phishing is defined by Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) as “the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social websites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT administrators are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting public. Phishing is typically carried out by email or instant messaging and it often directs users to enter details at a fake website whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one. Even when using server authentication, it may require tremendous skill to detect that the website is fake. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to fool users and exploits the poor usability of current web security technologies”.
Tips to recognize phishing emails
Tips to avoid being the victim of phishing attacks
Important Note: Beware that Bank Audi will never ask clients to update or verify their personal details by email.
If you receive a suspicious email claiming to originate from Bank Audi asking you for sensitive information, do not respond or follow links in the email: simply delete the message.
What you should do if you are the victim of phishing
Tips to recognize phishing emails
- Emails that contain specific expressions in the subject or body text, similar to the following:
- "Verify your account."
- "If you don't respond within 48 hours, your account will be closed."
- "Dear Valued Customer,"
- "Click the link below to gain access to your account."
- Urgent requests to confirm, verify or authenticate your personal information, otherwise your account will be closed.
- Offers that help you earn money by transferring cash.
- Although this doesn’t always necessarily apply, typos or grammatical errors, language mistakes and poor design or visual quality are often an indication of fake emails, websites or phishing schemes.
Tips to avoid being the victim of phishing attacks
- To guarantee your privacy and security, please make sure you do not enter your personal details (Customer ID and Password) on any unsecured website.
- Always check the identity and the security level of the website:
- Verify that the website address (URL) is secure: The letter “s” in “https” confirms that the site is fully secure (e.g. https://audionline.bankaudi.com.lb for Audi Online).
- Make sure you see the “Security Lock” icon on the webpage and click on it to check the website’s identity (e.g. https://audionline.bankaudi.com.lb for Audi Online).
Location of the Security Lock icon:
- Firefox: Right corner of the bottom status bar
- Internet Explorer/ Safari/ Google Chrome: Right side of the website address bar
Important Note: Beware that Bank Audi will never ask clients to update or verify their personal details by email.
If you receive a suspicious email claiming to originate from Bank Audi asking you for sensitive information, do not respond or follow links in the email: simply delete the message.
What you should do if you are the victim of phishing
- If you suspect you are the victim of a phishing attack, immediately report the incident to Bank Audi’s Help Desk and other concerned parties. Cancelling your credit card and/or changing your e-banking User ID and Password might be required depending on the nature of the information that you revealed.
Spyware and Viruses
Spyware and viruses are malicious programs (or bits of information) that are loaded onto your computer without your knowledge. These programs seriously compromise the security of your information; they can cause damage to your hardware, software or files, consume system resources, monitor your activities and collect sensitive information. Note that the presence of spyware is typically hidden and can be difficult to detect.
Tips to protect against Spyware and Viruses
Tips to protect against Spyware and Viruses
- Never open an email attachment from an unknown or suspicious source, or click on embedded links.
- Never download software from an unknown source.
- Verify the security and identity of websites prior to entering personal or financial information (as indicated above).
- Update your anti-virus and anti-spyware software regularly.
- Ensure that your sensitive data is regularly backed up.
Credit Card Fraud
Credit card fraud is defined by Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) as a “wide-ranging term for theft and fraud committed using a credit card or any similar payment mechanism as a fraudulent source of funds in a transaction. The purpose may be to obtain goods without paying, or obtain unauthorized funds from an account”.
Tips to protect yourself against credit card fraud
What you should do if you are the victim of credit card fraud
If you believe you are the victim of credit card fraud, immediately report the incident to Bank Audi’s Help Desk. Cancelling your credit card and/or changing your PIN might be required depending on the case.
Tips to protect yourself against credit card fraud
- Keep your credit card under your sight every time you use it. Never leave your credit card or receipts lying around.
- Verify that your credit card is returned to you as quickly as possible following each use.
- Always check your card bills and statements and make sure that the charges applied are correct.
- Save your receipts and reconcile them with your monthly bills.
- Never sign a blank credit card receipt.
- If you change your address, make sure to provide Bank Audi with your new address.
- Never respond to emails that ask you to provide your credit card information via email.
- Never use your card for online purchases on an unsecured website.
- Do not share your credit card PIN with anyone and do not store it anywhere near your credit card.
- Make sure no one is looking when you type your credit card number on a screen.
- Save the 24-hour customer service phone numbers in your contacts directory.
- Report lost or stolen cards immediately and provide the necessary information to stop these cards.
What you should do if you are the victim of credit card fraud
If you believe you are the victim of credit card fraud, immediately report the incident to Bank Audi’s Help Desk. Cancelling your credit card and/or changing your PIN might be required depending on the case.
