The Macau Monetary Authority (AMCM) reminded the public in a statement yesterday to beware of bogus calls from banks and be wary of fake mobile apps.
According to the statement, two local banks have recently come across fraudulent calls purporting to have been made by bank staff, as well as fake mobile apps purporting to have been set up by banks. The monetary watchdog requested the two banks to send out warning notices to the public in order to avoid fraud and unnecessary losses.
As required by the regulator, the local branch of Bank of China (BOC) has issued a notice warning against fake bank calls which attempt to defraud citizens by urging them to provide their personal information, while Banco Comercial de Macau (BCM) has also issued a warning on its website to remind customers to be wary of false mobile apps.
The AMCM statement reminded the public that financial institutions will not ask customers to provide personal information (including login passwords and one-time passwords) through phone calls, emails and SMS, nor will they direct customers to their websites through SMS or email hyperlinks for carrying out transactions. The statement pointed out that the public should download official mobile apps provided by financial institutions to prevent being affected by malicious programming or leak of personal information.
Anyone who has provided his or her personal information or conducted any transactions through suspicious apps should contact the relevant bank and the Judiciary Police as soon as possible, the statement said.
