A new phishing scam has gone viral on social media. Scammers are posing as financial institutions and trusted service providers in order to steal our money and sensitive information. To help everyone stay safe, we’ve asked Advance’s Chief Technology Officer Enzo Doromal for some tips on how to handle our online transactions.
Think Before You Click
Always check the grammar, spelling, and punctuation of any SMS that you receive. Trusted institutions rarely change the format of their messages, so it’s important that you compare any sketchy messages from your service providers to those you’ve received in the past.
Scammers will try to use web addresses that seem similar to that of the service they’re spoofing. When following links via SMS, make sure that the URLs match up with your service providers’ official web addresses.
Also be on the lookout for URLs without a security certificate (websites using HTTP instead of HTTPS, no padlock beside the web address on the browser, etc). Never click on these insecure links!
Never Share Sensitive Information
Financial service providers will NEVER ask you to send photos of your bank cards. If you come across this request while you’re transacting online, don’t fall for it!
Scammers can also contact you via phone call. If this happens, DO NOT share your OTP or any personal and/or sensitive information with the agent you’re talking to. If you must make your transactions over the phone, make sure that it’s through your service provider’s official contact number, which should be listed on their website.
In Case of Emergency, Act Fast
It’s a good idea to learn the quickest way to deactivate your account or card in case any emergency arises.
If you’re affected by this scam, call your service provider as soon as possible to report the incident. Describe what happened in detail and have them tag your account as breached. Discuss your options of dispute and recovery for these transactions and proceed with the best options they offer you.
We can never be too careful, especially now that most of our transactions are online. Be alert and stay safe!
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