HKMA Issues Warning on Fraudulent Websites and Phishing Messages Related to Hang Seng Bank

The
Hong
Kong
Monetary
Authority
(HKMA)
has
issued
a
public
warning
regarding
the
presence
of
fraudulent
websites
and
phishing
instant
messages
associated
with
Hang
Seng
Bank,
Limited.
This
alert
follows
a
press
release
from
Hang
Seng
Bank
that
brought
these
malicious
activities
to
the
HKMA’s
attention.

Details
of
the
Fraudulent
Activities

According
to
the
HKMA,
there
have
been
multiple
reports
of
phishing
instant
messages
and
fraudulent
websites
impersonating
Hang
Seng
Bank.
These
scams
aim
to
deceive
the
public
by
requesting
sensitive
personal
information
such
as
login
passwords
and
One-Time
Passwords
(OTPs).
The
HKMA
emphasizes
that
legitimate
banks
will
never
send
SMS
or
emails
containing
embedded
hyperlinks
directing
users
to
conduct
transactions
on
their
websites.

The
HKMA
has
provided
a
hyperlink
to
the
original
press
release
from
Hang
Seng
Bank
on
their

website.

Public
Advisory

The
HKMA
advises
the
public
to
remain
vigilant
against
such
scams.
Individuals
are
urged
not
to
disclose
any
personal
information
or
conduct
financial
transactions
in
response
to
suspicious
messages
or
websites.
Those
who
have
already
provided
their
details
or
made
transactions
through
these
fraudulent
channels
should
immediately
contact
Hang
Seng
Bank
using
the
contact
information
provided
in
the
press
release
and
report
the
incident
to
the
Crime
Wing
Information
Centre
of
the
Hong
Kong
Police
Force
at
2860
5012.

This
warning
by
HKMA
underscores
the
importance
of
cybersecurity
awareness
and
the
need
for
the
public
to
exercise
caution
when
receiving
unsolicited
communications
that
request
personal
information.

Related
Developments

In
recent
months,
there
has
been
a
notable
increase
in
phishing
attempts
targeting
banking
customers
in
Hong
Kong.
The
HKMA
and
other
financial
institutions
have
been
proactive
in
issuing
alerts
and
providing
guidelines
to
help
the
public
identify
and
avoid
falling
victim
to
these
scams.
This
latest
alert
serves
as
a
reminder
of
the
persistent
threat
posed
by
cybercriminals
and
the
critical
need
for
ongoing
vigilance.

Hong
Kong
Monetary
Authority
22
August
2024

Image
source:
Shutterstock