Internet banking scam warning
Internet banking customers should be on the lookout for a new cellphone scam, North West police said on Monday.
“You will receive a SMS from a number similar to the one that you get bank notifications from. The SMS will indicate a problem on your account and a ‘consultant’ will contact you,” said Captain Adele Myburgh said.
When the “consultant” phoned they would confirm personal details such as account numbers and then ask what phone the person was using.
“The fraudsters will then contact your cellphone provider and perform a sim (subscriber identity module) swap.”
A sim swap involves replacing a phone’s sim card with another one.
The fraudster, using the old sim card, would then be able to receive one time pin numbers and other random verification numbers, sent by banks to their customers, and access their accounts.
Myburgh said the new scheme was being investigated.
“By the time you realise that your cell number isn’t working your money will be out of your account.”
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