SBI warns account holders about suspicious messages on WhatsApp

The State Bank of India, the largest public service lender in the country, has issued a warning to its account holders about suspicious messages circulating on WhatsApp that might trick them to share their sensitive personal banking details.

“Stay alert to stay safe! Fake offers on messages via WhatsApp and social media could lead you astray. Report any untoward incident by calling at 1-800-111109,” the bank tweeted on Wednesday along with instructions on how to stay safe.

“The bank is aware of certain messages being circulated / forwarded via WhatsApp and social media to the effect that our esteemed customers are getting messages advising about an OTP (One Time Password) in respect of a transaction (normally low value) not purported to have been originated by the miscreant,” it said.

The public sector lender assured its customers that nobody can access their account without the successful validation of 2FA (Two Factor Authentication).

“As a note of caution, we again request our customers not to share their card, account, bank credentials or OTOP at any cost with any individual,” SBI said.

It urged the customers to report immediately by calling at 1-800-111109 in case of any suspected fraudulent activity or transaction on their card.

“We advise our customers to beware of such posts and kindly check the validity of such offers on official channels,” it further said.