A WAVE of alarming SMS messages purportedly from a local bank has been circulating, warning recipients of suspicious transactions on their accounts and asking them to call a number if they did not authorise the withdrawal.
The messages look convincing enough that some even arrive in the same message thread as genuine bank notifications, leaving many recipients unsure whether to act on them.
But are scammers really sending out fake bank transaction alert SMS messages?
Verdict:
TRUE
Scammers are sending fake bank transaction alert SMS messages using a technique known as SMS spoofing, in which fraudulent messages are made to appear as though they were sent from a bank's official sender codes, as reported by MyCheck.my.
A user on Threads first raised the alarm after receiving one such message appearing to be from CIMB Bank, warning of a cash withdrawal transaction and asking them to call a provided number if they had not authorised it.
In a panic, the user called the number and was deceived by a scammer posing as a bank officer, resulting in a financial loss.
MyCheck.my found that many other users on Threads had shared similar experiences of receiving the same type of message.
CIMB has confirmed on its official portal that its authorised SMS sender codes are 68833, 68883 and 62886, but warned that scammers are exploiting these codes to send fake messages that appear to originate from the bank's official channels.
"Even though these are CIMB's official codes, the risk of SMS spoofing still exists. Fraudsters may attempt to piggyback on these numbers to send fake messages," CIMB said.
The bank has advised customers not to click any links, call any numbers or reply to suspicious messages, and to immediately block the sender and delete the message if an SMS arrives from a number that is not one of the three official codes above.
Customers who notice an unrecognised transaction should contact the bank directly through its official channels rather than calling any number provided in an SMS.
The Public Services Department (JPA) has also issued a warning about SMS spoofing, noting that scammers are increasingly using the technique to impersonate government agencies as well as financial institutions.
"Always be vigilant and ensure that every call received is verified first to avoid falling victim to fraud," JPA said in a post on its official Instagram account.
The key thing to remember is that a bank will never ask you to call a number provided in an SMS to verify or dispute a transaction so always use the official hotline printed on the back of your bank card or listed on the bank's official website.
Sources:
2. https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbp1pOYS-Sl/
