The Central Bank clarified rumors about money being withdrawn from cards after calls from unknown numbers.

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan commented on the spreading reports on social media regarding the alleged automatic withdrawal of funds from citizens' bank cards after answering calls from unknown numbers. In an official statement, the bank emphasized that such information is not true.

According to the regulator, all mobile applications of commercial banks and payment organizations are equipped with security measures to prevent fraud. To register in the app, a user must provide their phone number, enter a confirmation code from an SMS, and undergo biometric identification. Only after this can the citizen link their bank card to the application.

The card linking process requires confirmation through a one-time code (OTP) sent to the phone number associated with the card. If the numbers do not match, the linking will be rejected. For new users, there is also a temporary restriction on using the card in the application — up to one hour.

However, the Central Bank warned that sharing account data, passwords, or one-time codes with third parties, as well as installing malicious APK files, can lead to unauthorized withdrawals from the bank card.

In conclusion, the bank urged citizens not to trust unverified information from social media and to rely only on data from official sources.