Puzzling - these fake OCBC messages
By Lin Yanqin, TODAY | Posted: 15 June 2007 0611 hrs
SINGAPORE : He received a text message on his mobile phone claiming
to be from OCBC Bank, informing him that he had spent $2,350 at
Takashimaya, and asking him to call the bank to verify the
transaction.
Mr John Tan was suspicious, as he had neither spent money at
Takashimaya nor held any OCBC card. But curiosity made him phone
the number in the message.
The man who answered his call spoke in Chinese, claiming to be from
OCBC's Chinese department. "He had a Chinese accent, and didn't ask
me for any details. Just told me to give him my number and said
someone would call me back," said Mr Tan. "It was very silly, I
don't know what they were after."
Mr Tan telephoned OCBC and was told the SMS message was one of "a
handful" of similar fraudulent messages reported to the bank in the
past three days.
The message, in Chinese, informed recipients that their credit
cards had been used for purchases, and asked them to call a number
to verify whether they had used the cards at those outlets.
"It is not our policy to send our customers SMSes or emails asking
them for their personal information or to confirm a specific credit
card transaction," said Mr Jack Foo, OCBC Bank's head of
operational risk, in an email. "Neither will we indicate our
customers' account or transaction details in our SMSes or
emails."
He also assured customers their accounts with the bank were "safe".
The bank has reported the matter to the police, and is assisting in
the investigation.
Customers are advised not to respond to such SMSes, and to phone
the bank at 1800-363 3333 if they need clarification.
