Bogus bank hotline numbers
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The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has received a report of fraudulent SMS messages purportedly to be sent from a bank. These SMS messages claim that there were credit card transactions conducted using a customer's credit card, and request the customer to call a bogus hotline number mentioned in the messages to check the credit card transactions. The HKMA is concerned that similar techniques are being used to trick bank customers into calling bogus bank hotline numbers. In that process, customers could have revealed sensitive personal information to the fraudsters.
The HKMA wishes to remind members of the public to verify the hotline numbers with the relevant banks before calling rather than just following the information provided in SMS messages. Customers may find the relevant banks' hotline numbers at the back of ATM/credit cards or on their respective websites. At the same time, a list of all retail banks' hotline numbers can be found at the dedicated webpages of the HKMA and the Hong Kong Association of Banks.
Any member of the public who has provided, or suspected that he or she has provided, personal information to bogus bank hotline numbers should immediately contact the bank concerned and report such cases to any local Police Station or the Hong Kong Police Force (at 2860 5012).
Ends/Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:40
Issued at HKT 17:40
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