Hi Guys,
With the recent rise in phone impersonation scams, it is important that you stay vigilant and keep a lookout for potential scams. Stay alert and safeguard your personal login credentials by recognising phone impersonation scam tactics, so you do not fall prey to them.
Here’s how phone impersonation scams can work in the world of online banking:
- An impersonator of a bank calls you and informs you that your account has been hacked. They will sound very convincing on the call.
- The impersonator advises you to assist with investigation by performing screen sharing as you log in to your bank account and execute a funds transfer in order to catch the fictitious hacker.
- During screen sharing, the impersonator will be able to see you input your User ID, password and One-Time PIN if used.
- The impersonator tells you to ignore all SMS alerts from the bank, claiming that any amount transferred is used as a ‘bait’ to catch the hacker, and will be refunded.
- The impersonator is uncontactable, and the monies would have already been transferred out of your banking accounts.
Things to remember:
- Impersonators may use Caller ID spoofing technology to mask their actual number and instead display a name/number that purports to be from a Bank/Telco/Government agency/Courier company.
- No government agency will request for your personal and banking details, or request for you to transfer money over the phone or through automated voice machines.
- Do not act under the instructions of anyone suspicious. If it feels wrong do not do it.
- Always verify the identity of the caller. You can do so by calling the official contact number of the relevant entity. Do not assume that the caller is genuine.
- Do not give out any personal and banking information (i.e. User ID, password or One-Time PIN (OTP)) to anyone. Your bank will never ask you for this information.
Please let me know if you need any help with this or with anything else.
Thanks and have a fantastic day.
All the best,
Max Roberts,
Incognito Privacy Care Team