Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited (“the Bank”) would like to remind customers and the general public to be vigilant against phishing SMSs and phone scams, and do not disclose your personal information or bank account and password to third parties. To protect your personal interests, please read the following information:

Please be aware of the following scam case.

Recently, criminals (scammers) have been targeting members of the public by sending phishing SMSs. These SMSs falsely claim that you have successfully renewed “YouTube Premium” subscription service, stating that associated fees have been automatically deducted, along with a phone number for “cancelling the service”.

Below is a detailed explanation of the scam methodology:

1. The phishing SMSs lures victims to call back: The subscription renewal payment notification you received is fake, designed to provoke your concern or confusion. The “customer service number” provided in the message is a trap set up by scammers. Never call back this number!
2. Impersonated customer service agents extract sensitive personal information: Once you call the number, scammers posing as “customer service representatives” will use excuses like assisting you to  “cancel subscription”, “process refunds”, or  “verify identity” to trick you into accessing fraudulent websites or platforms, or downloading fake mobile applications. They will then demand your online banking login credentials, passwords, credit card information, one time passwords (OTP) or other sensitive financial details.

Anti-fraud Tips.

• If you receive a call from someone claiming to be an employee of any organization, you should take the initiative to verify the identity of that person through the official channels of the relevant organization.
• Be vigilant about the content of the email or SMS, especially the hyperlinks and contact details provided for verification purpose.
• Do not click or open any hyperlink, attachment or QR code in the suspicious email or SMS.
• Do not enter your personal information in websites or software applications from unknown sources.
• Do not provide any personal information, bank account information, online banking accounts or passwords to others.
• Do not disclose one time passwords (OTP) sent to your mobile or security device to others.
• Make good use of the Hong Kong Police Force’s “Scameter”. If you come across suspicious calls, online sellers, dating invitations, job advertisements or investment websites, you can enter related account name or number, payment account, telephone number, email address, website address, etc. on the “Scameter” to assess the risk of fraud and cyber-security.
• The Bank regularly publishes security tips on fraud prevention. Please refer to the “Security tips” on the Bank’s official website.

“Beware of scams! Do not provide bank, credit card, investment, insurance and MPF account or other key personal information via hyperlinks embedded in suspicious messages purported to be coming from our institution!” If you become aware of any suspicious transaction or receive a suspicious transaction notice, please feel free to contact our customer service hotline (852) 2189 5588 or visit our branch nearby for reporting.