KUALA LUMPUR: Banks have come out again to say that they will not ask for sensitive customer information such as online banking usernames and passwords, and credit or debit card numbers via phone calls.
A joint statement by the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) said in certain scenarios, such as to establish the legitimacy of a suspicious or irregular transaction, banks may call customers to seek clarification.
During these calls, banks may perform a verification check using partial personal information such as requesting for the last 4-digit of NRIC, to ascertain the identity of customers.
"This measure is taken to safeguard customers' accounts and ensure the continued security of their financial information. "Customers who suspect that they may have received a call from fraudsters impersonating bank officers should immediately hang up and call the bank's official customer service hotline instead, said the statement.
Banks stress that they will never solicit sensitive information from customers, including credit/debit card numbers and CVV codes, online banking credentials, and SMS OTP/TAC numbers.
In continued efforts to protect the financial well-being of customers, the banking industry works closely with regulators and enforcement agencies to secure banking systems and digital platforms, enhance security measures according to the latest fraud modus operandi, and identify and freeze banking accounts associated with scammers and mule account holders.
Since July 2023, the banking industry has implemented five measures to further defend against scams, including replacing SMS OTP with a more secure authentication method; tightening fraud detection rules; performing cooling-off period for first-time registration of online banking access; allowing only a single mobile device or secure device to be registered; and enabling a 24/7 dedicated complaint channel for customers.
Customers who have fallen victim to scams should immediately call the National Scam Response Centre at 997 or banks' 24/7 customer service hotlines for assistance; quickly deactivate their online banking access or block credit/ debit cards involved in fraudulent transactions and even opt to use the Kill Switch feature via the online banking platform or mobile banking app.