Srinagar: The State Bank of India has issued a public advisory warning its customers against a surge in fraudulent SMS and WhatsApp messages aimed at cheating people by seeking sensitive financial information under the pretext of KYC updates or reward claims.
In the advisory, SBI said fraudsters are sending messages containing links that prompt users to update their KYC details or claim reward points by downloading an APK file. The bank clarified that it never sends links to download any APK file for KYC updation or for redeeming reward points.
The bank has strongly cautioned customers not to click on such links or download any files from unknown or suspicious sources, as doing so could compromise personal and financial information.
SBI advised customers to remain alert and safeguard their banking credentials, including account details, debit card numbers, PINs and one-time passwords, from being shared with unknown persons or platforms.
In case of any cyber fraud, customers have been advised to immediately report the matter by calling the national cybercrime helpline number 1930 or by lodging a complaint on the official cybercrime portal.
The bank reiterated that timely reporting of cyber fraud can help prevent further financial loss and assist authorities in taking swift action against fraudsters. [KNT]
