Archive for December, 2011

Banking Fraud – Prevention and Control

BankingBanking Fraud is posing threat to Indian Economy. Its vibrant effect can be understood be the fact that in the year 2004 number of Cyber Crime were 347 in India which rose to 481 in 2005 showing an increase of 38.5% while I.P.C. category crime stood at 302 in 2005 including 186 cases of cyber fraud and 68 cases cyber forgery. Thus it becomes very important that occurrence of such frauds should be minimized. More upsetting is the fact that such frauds are entering in Banking Sector as well.

In the present day, Global Scenario Banking System has acquired new dimensions. Banking did spread in India. Today, the banking system has entered into competitive markets in areas covering resource mobilization, human resource development, customer services and credit management as well.

Indian’s banking system has several outstanding achievements to its credit, the most striking of which is its reach. In fact, Indian banks are now spread out into the remotest areas of our country. Indian banking, which was operating in a highly comfortable and protected environment till the beginning of 1990s, has been pushed into the choppy waters of intense competition.

A sound banking system should possess three basic characteristics to protect depositor’s interest and public faith. Theses are (i) a fraud free culture, (ii) a time tested Best Practice Code, and (iii) an in house immediate grievance remedial system. All these conditions are their missing or extremely weak in India. Section 5(b) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 defines banking… “Banking is the accepting for the purpose of lending or investment, deposits of money from the purpose of lending or investment, deposits of money from the public, repayable on demand or otherwise and withdraw able by cheque, draft, order or otherwise.” But if his money has fraudulently been drawn from the bank the latter is under strict obligation to pay the depositor. The bank therefore has to ensure at all times that the money of the depositors is not drawn fraudulently. Time has come when the security aspects of the banks have to be dealt with on priority basis. Read the rest of this entry »

Is Banking Account Online Really Safe?

BankingThe history of banking dates back to the ancient times; in fact, the earliest banks were the ancient religious temples. People then stored their golds and other precious belongings in the temples because these places were strongly built, were always guarded, and most of all, were sacred. In ancient Greece, financial transactions were also done in temples and credit notes were already being used to reduce risks in carrying and carting money from one place to another.

Since those times, banking evolved in many aspects. Banking regulations were formulated, additional services such as lending became part of banking and things such as adding interest to loans became common bank practices. Now with the emergence of the latest technologies and the Internet, banking has taken a new face. People can now access bank account online and transact business with the bank with greater convenience and security through the Internet.

Online Banking

Performing bank transactions through the Internet is generally referred to as online banking or Internet banking. This form of banking allows consumers to directly access their bank account online (usually savings account) and obtain any information about their account. This direct-to-consumer system is faster and more convenient for consumers compared to traditional banking systems. Especially if you are to withdraw money after banking hours, this banking system may be your easiest and sole solution. You just have to connect to the Internet trough your personal computer and access your bank account in an instant. Read the rest of this entry »

A Guide to Swiss Banking – Part 2

BankingIn the first part of this guide, you learnt about some of the main benefits of Swiss banking. You also discovered how to open a Swiss bank account, and how to use it for savings and investment purposes. In this second part, we deal with making deposits and withdrawals.

Deposits & Withdrawals
How can I deposit money in my Swiss bank account?

Once your account has been opened, you can deposit money to your account in several ways:

* Cash deposit
* Traveller’s check deposit
* Securities deposit
* Transfer from another account
* Receive a bank transfer
* Personal checks
* Bank checks

Selecting the most appropriate method of deposit depends on the amount deposited, the degree of confidentiality desired and the level of convenience.

Can traveller’s checks be tracked?

The issuing bank can discover where traveller’s checks were cashed. In fact, you are always required to reveal your identity when making a purchase with traveller’s checks. Since each check is identifiable by a unique number, it is possible to trace it. However, in practice this type of search is rarely conducted. Read the rest of this entry »