Beware of Phishing SMSs Whose Sender IDs Have No “#s”

2024-12-20

Defrauding Tricks

Recently, scammers sent fraudulent SMSs under the names of “UnionPay” and “HSBC” to members of the public, falsely claiming that autopay from their accounts would be arranged should insurance fees not be handled, and asking them to call a fraudulent hotline number before a specific time. After the recipients dialled the hotline, bogus customer service staff on the phone would induce them to log in to fraudulent websites, trying to steal their personal information and bank account details, and obtain money by deception.

Our Advice

• The sender IDs of SMSs sent by Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and UnionPay International begin with “#”. They are “#HSBC” and “#UnionPay” respectively;

• Do not believe the scammers’ identities simply by the phone numbers they provide. You are advised to verify their identities by making enquiries to relevant organisations;

• You may enter suspicious information on “Scameter” of CyberDefender or “Scameter+”, the mobile app of “Scameter”, for security check in addition to seeking verification from relevant organisations;

• If in doubt, please call the “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” for assistance.