Watch out & protect yourself from scam text messages that can steal your bank info

PHOTO: These contain links that will steal your sensitive personal information, such as credit card details.

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You’ve heard similar stories, or you yourself may have experienced getting a lot of text messages from unknown numbers promising sales and bargains, career opportunities, or other tempting offers. These usually come with a WhatsApp link that will take you to a conversation with an unknown person, who will ask you to provide some of your important personal information in exchange for some payment.

When you get these messages, don’t entertain them, click any links, or give out your personal information—these are smishing scams designed to steal your sensitive personal data, such as your online banking login info and credit/debit card numbers, and with it your money.

Smishing is a form of fraud in which fraudsters steal your personal information through SMS messages. In this case, the fraudsters are giving you links via SMS to pages that can and will steal the information you type.

“You can easily spot a smishing attempt by seeing if the person messaging you is asking for sensitive personal information, such as your credit card number, CVV number, or a One-Time Password (OTP). This is information that bank representatives will never ask you via SMS or an unsecured website,” said EastWest Chief Information Security Officer Joey A. Regala.

“No matter how tempting the offer, never give away these details to anyone you don’t know or trust,” added Regala.

For EastWest debit cardholders, Regala also recommends turning off online purchases by default in case any unauthorized persons try to use your card after stealing your information. To do this, simply log on to your account on the EastWest Mobile app, go to Card Settings, and select the type of transaction you wish to turn on or off.

Reclaim your peace of mind and control of your finances this holiday season, and protect yourself from smishing and scams by staying aware. Manage your account easily with the EastWest Mobile Banking app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

For more information and updates on EastWest’s services, follow EastWest on Facebook at facebook.com/EastWestBanker, on Twitter at @eastwestbanker, or visit their website at www.eastwestbanker.com.