Country’s largest lender, State Bank of India, has introduced a new feature for customer safety. According to the bank, it will alert the customer through an SMS if anyone uses an ATM card linked to the phone number to check balance or mini statement.
This additional move is to keep a tab of any fraudulent activities at these COVID-19 times. Besides, the bank is trying to educate the customers to not ignore the SMS that is sent out by the bank especially when the activity like balance enquiry or mini-statement is not done by the customer. “It could be a scammer's attempt to check your bank account for the money. Immediately notify and request your bank to freeze your card," SBI said.
The bank has also pointed out that during the COVID-19 pandemic, fraudsters are posing as officials of government agencies, charitable organisations and relief fund foundations requesting donations.
These fraudsters are asking for bank details and are using sources like SMS, email, Whatsapp to contact customers among others. SBI requested its customers to be vigilant and to register a complaint with cybercrime if one becomes victim to fraudulent activity.
The bank has on several occasions issued safety tips to keep oneself safe from frauds. Recently in New Delhi, ATM cards were cloned. This had taken place in an ATM of another bank. After this information appeared, the bank assured affected SBI customers that are and will be helped and refunds will be processed as per the procedure.
