Beware of phishing SMS messages

2021-05-05

Recently, the Police have noted that phishing SMS messages are sent to members of the public by fraudsters pretending to be from bank and attempting to obtain their personal information and online banking passwords by deception. To avoid scam, members of the public should take heed of the “10 Anti Phishing Strategies” below:

1. Do not log into your online banking account through hyperlinks or QR codes;
2. Do not download any suspicious mobile applications or softwares. If any irregularities of the application are detected, for example, abnormal screen or slow response in logging, abort the operation immediately and contact corresponding banks for verification;
3. Do not input any personal information into unknown applications or websites;
4. Pay attention to the bank website addresses, in which the bank names are slightly altered on fraudulent websites, with additional letters, numbers or symbols;
5. Check for the “https” prefix and the padlock icon in the web browser to ensure the website is secure;
6. Check the domain of the sender address when you receive an email from bank;
7. Type the bank website address into the browser address bar carefully, or download bank mobile applications from official App stores;
8. Before you input any personal information, make sure the website you are trying to access is a genuine bank website;
9. If you receive suspicious SMS messages or emails purported to be sent from banks, contact corresponding banks for verification proactively;
10. Remind your relatives and friends to stay vigilant against deception. If you suspect a scam, call the “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” immediately for enquiries.