Warning: forms of fraud in banking transactions

Recently, offenders have constantly developed sophisticated tricks to lure money from users' bank accounts/cards. To prevent fraud in transactions, customers need to notice these common scamming methods and the following recommendations for safe and secure transactions.

1. Common forms of fraud:

- Via an impersonated email with the bank's name and the bank employee's email signature; request the client to access the file or link contains the malicious code.

- Via impersonated received messages, stored in the same folder as messages from the bank on the customer's mobile phone; instructing customers to access links that contain the malicious code.

- Via phone: impersonating bank’s employees, employees of telecommunications companies, employees of functional agencies such as the Ministry of Public Security, the Procuracy, the Ministry of Health, etc.

Via social networks (Facebook, Zalo,...), phone applications: setting up websites/social networking sites/phone applications impersonating banks, or use a personal account to impersonate a bank employee on social networks.

2. Common scam tricks:

- Transfer money to the customer's account with the loan notice, then contact the customer to report the wrong transfer and ask for a refund. The receiving account is now different from the previous transfer account. After a while, the transfer account holder will claim the money from the customer along with the loan interest. The offenders also pretend to be a bank employee to notify the wrong transfer and refund instructions by sending a link asking the customer to fill in personal information (including confidential information such as the e-banking login information, password, OTP).

- Transfer a small amount of money to the customer's account, notify the money transfer transaction is suspended, and ask the customer to access the fake link to check the transaction, confirm information (including confidential information such as e-banking log in information, password, OTP).

- Notify the customer's account has received a sum of money abnormal activity and instruct the customer to confirm information, change the password via a fake file or link contains the malicious code.

- Loan applying on the unsecured loan application (app), then forge the signature of an authorized person and the bank's seal to ask the customer to pay a loan appraisal fee/application procedure fee, profile/account verification fee, to be disbursed. This fee is required to be transferred to an individual's bank account for appropriation.

- Support customers to upgrade their current 3G sim to 4G sim via phone, when in fact, the offenders convert from 3G sim (used by customers) to 4G sim (of scammers). And hijack the sim, gradually take control over the customer's account.

- Use account verification, balance, or transaction checking as an excuse, customers are asked to provide their name and the first 6 numbers of the debit card to confirm they are the cardholders. Then the offenders request the customers to provide additional security information such as card number, 03 numbers on the back of the card, OTP code, etc. to make online payment transactions.

- Offer credit card advance service with preferential fee or transfer card balance to installment payment and ask for personal information (photo of ID card, OTP). After the successful payment/information collection, the offenders transfer the less amount than the debited or appropriated amount of money to the customer's card.

3. How to avoid the scams?

Do:

- Be wary when accessing odd links sent from messages/emails and always check the link in the address bar before manipulation.

- Be alert and re-verify with the bank switchboard when receiving a phone/text/email claiming to be a bank employee to marketing and instruct unclear transactions.

- Be careful when providing personal information such as ID photo or number.

- Register an email/phone number with the bank at the transaction point or via the switchboard and update when there is a change to receive timely transaction information alerts.

- Lock card's online payment feature when not in use.

- Regularly change PIN and password for e-banking login. Log out of your e-banking account as soon as the transaction is completed.

- Update operating system, browser, copyrighted applications for computers or mobile devices used for financial transactions

Don’t:

- Log in to e-banking on a computer or handheld device that connects to public wifi.

- Make money transfer/remittance for requests to collect loan appraisal fees/documentation fees/account verification fees... from strangers.

- Provide e-banking username/password, OTP code, card number, card PIN, 03 numbers on the back of the card, card expiration date, etc. to any individual or organization, including bank staff.

- Save e-banking login password, account/card information on browsers.

4. VIB official communication channels:

- Website: https://vib.com.vn

- Verified Facebook: VIB – Ngân Hàng Quốc Tế

- Verified Instagram: VIB – Ngân Hàng Quốc Tế

- Verified Zalo: VIB – Ngan hang Quoc Te

- VIB only provides e-banking via website: ib.vib.com.vn ( has the safety lock sign) and bank application MyVIB.

- VIB has 2 free hotlines (24/7): 1800 8195 for cards services and 1800 8180 for others.

5. When there is any suspicion regarding fraudulent transactions, immediately do the following methods:

- Change Internet Banking, MyVIB passwords.

- Lock card

- Immediately notify the bank via call center or go to the nearest VIB transaction point