HSBC Bank Malta has moved swiftly to block and change hundreds of cards that were compromised in a scam related to COVID-19.
Clients of the bank were surprised last week to receive a brand new card in the post to replace their old one, which had not yet expired.
Upon enquiring, the clients were told that their old card had been flagged and blocked after the system detected a number of suspicious attempts made to withdraw money.
An HSBC spokesperson said the attempted fraud was related to the pandemic and that there was an emerging threat from criminals using COVID-19 as an opportunity to scam customers.
“HSBC Malta has further increased its monitoring and awareness of fraud attempts during this period and has enhanced its already robust controls to combat such activities,” the spokesperson said.
Although she did not confirm the number of compromised cards involved, sources have told Times of Malta that it is about 2,000.
The sources, familiar with the finance sector, say banks have seen a spike in scams that play on fears related to COVID-19.
These include the use of seemingly legitimate websites related to the pandemic, which provide links that introduce malware to devices or recommend the download of coronavirus-related software, or that offer medical advice and fake products claiming to treat or prevent COVID-19.
Would-be fraudsters are also attempting to take advantage of the situation by resorting to old tactics, such as calling people and requesting banking information or claiming to represent a health or government agency.
How to protect yourself
HSBC says bank customers should:
• Notify the bank immediately if their card has been stolen or lost or if they suspect that their information has been compromised.
• Never share their PIN with anyone or keep their PIN in an unsafe location. It is recommended to memorise the PIN.
• Make sure nobody can see their PIN when entering it on an ATM or on an EPOS terminal.
• Never leave their card laying around or lose sight of the card when effecting payment.
• Install legitimate antivirus software on all their devices and avoid clicking on links or downloads from unknown sources.
• Ignore phone calls, e-mails or any other com-munication from a company with offers that are too good to be true. Giving away any information or falling for a scam could result in card and personal details falling into the wrong hands.
• Never click links or attachments in suspicious e-mails until source is validated.
• Avoid public computers when using their cards online or accessing banking information through online banking.
• Avoid doing business with unfamiliar online vendors and only use established merchants and websites.
• Look for websites beginning with https:// to ensure utmost security.