The advisory, issued under SBI’s National Cyber Security Month Special Campaign 6.0, urges customers to obtain customer care numbers only from official websites.
The bank cautioned that fraudsters use misleading online listings to impersonate customer support representatives and obtain sensitive financial information or persuade victims to transfer money.
How Do Fake Customer Care Scams Work?
Fraudsters publish fake helpline numbers on websites, online directories, social media platforms and search listings. Customers looking for banking assistance may call these numbers, believing they belong to legitimate financial institutions. The caller is then connected to someone posing as a customer care executive. The impersonator may speak professionally, provide misleading assurances and request confidential banking details. In some cases, victims are asked to make payments or install applications on their devices.
SBI’s awareness campaign includes a 62-second video explaining how contacting an unverified customer service number can result in financial loss.
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What Has SBI Advised Customers?
SBI has urged customers to verify contact information through the official website of the concerned bank or organisation rather than relying on third-party sources. The bank’s warning highlights the risks associated with sponsored search results, unfamiliar websites and unverified social media posts.
Customers should also remain cautious when callers claim to represent banks, the Reserve Bank of India or enforcement agencies while seeking confidential financial information.
How Can Customers Protect Their Accounts?
- Customers should never disclose their ATM PIN, card CVV, internet banking password or one-time password to anyone claiming to provide customer support.
- Suspicious requests for account details, urgent payments or installation of unfamiliar APK files should be treated cautiously.
- If a caller threatens account closure or demands immediate action to resolve a banking dispute, customers should disconnect and independently contact their bank through verified official channels.
What Should Victims Do After Suspected Fraud?
Anyone who suspects a fraudulent transaction should immediately contact their bank and report the incident through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or the national cybercrime helpline, 1930.
Prompt reporting is important when financial information has been disclosed or money has been transferred to an unknown account.
The420 Insight: Fake customer care scams exploit the trust people place in search results and seemingly legitimate support representatives. SBI’s warning reinforces a basic precaution: verify helpline numbers independently before calling, and never share confidential banking credentials during customer support conversations.
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