BEWARE OF SCAMMER SMS FAKE “OCBCBANK”

POLICE ADVISORY ON PHISHING WEBSITES

The Police have received reports where victims were cheated into providing their personal information and credit card details on phishing websites or over the phone after responding to online advertisements or Short Message Services (SMSes) that were purportedly from DBS Bank or OCBC Bank. The victims later realised that unauthorised transactions in various foreign currencies were made to their credit cards.

In these cases, the victims would either come across a Facebook advertisement or receive an SMS purportedly from one of the banks regarding investment. Upon clicking the link provided, victims were then directed to a website which promoted a new investment program or software. To sign up, victims were asked to provide their personal information, credit card details and one-time password (OTP) via an online form. In some instances, victims had provided the information over the phone after receiving a call from someone purportedly from the bank.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following preventive measures:

a. Be wary when you are asked to click on links provided in emails and SMSes, even if they seem to be sent by organisations that you are familiar with. You should always type the URL of the official website directly onto the address bar of your web browser.

b. Look for signs that you are visiting a secure website, as phishing websites may appear genuine. Secure websites use ‘https:’ instead of ‘http:’ at the start of the internet address, or display a closed padlock or unbroken key icon at the bottom right corner of your browser window. They are generally encrypted to protect your details.

c. Be wary when you are asked to disclose your personal or banking details over the internet. Call the bank’s customer hotline number if you have any queries.

d. Report any fraudulent charges detected in your credit card bills to your bank immediately.

You can seek scam-related advice by calling the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or go to www.scamalert.sg. You may also refer to the advisory posted on DBS Bank (https://www.dbs.com.sg/personal/deposits/security-and-you/default.page) and OCBC Bank websites (https://www.ocbc.com/personal-banking/online-banking/security_advisory.html) for more information.

Help spread the word and share this advisory with your family and friends to prevent them from being the next victim of scam.

Source: SPF Facebook Post