HKMA Warns of Phishing Instant Messages Related to Major Banks

On December 24, 2024, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued three consecutive alerts regarding fraudulent websites and phishing instant messages. These scams impersonated major banks, including the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited, and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited.

The HKMA has added details of these scams to its customer alert list and reminds the public that legitimate banks will never send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks directing users to their websites for transactions. Banks will also never ask for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or One-Time Passwords, through phone calls, emails, or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

HKMA’s customer alert list adds new scams

Anyone who has provided personal information or conducted financial transactions through or in response to these fraudulent websites or instant messages is encouraged to contact their bank using the official contact information and report the incident to the police.