Bank customer service impersonation scams is rampant. Various tricks are used to convince victims to provide confidential data. One common modus operandi is to tell customers that their credit cards have been used/hacked by irresponsible people.
This is a reason used to convince potential victims to follow the directions of the scammers. However, you need to be aware of this particular scam mode. The scammers have their ways of playing their role as a CSO of a bank.
Scam Chronology
Scammers will try to emulate the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of a bank’s Customer Service (CS) officer. Below is the chronology of what fake CS usually does to deceive victims.
1. Using Professional Language
It used to be very easy to distinguish between real and fake bank officers by the way they spoke. However, now many scammers are very good at introducing themselves as bank customer service officers and using formal language to carry out their actions in such a way that the victim is not the least bit suspicious.
2. Providing Clear Information
Scammers impersonating a bank CSO can successfully present clear information related to credit cards. They can explain the misuse of the customer’s credit card. If not careful, the victim can be fooled by the given information.
The scammer informs that the victim’s credit card is being used to purchase gaming vouchers at several online stores by hackers. The scammer also informs that the victim’s credit card is connected to the hacker’s cell phone number and email and thus the transaction notification is sent to the hacker. Having heard that, the victim must have panicked.
3. Ostensibly Not Asking for Sensitive Information
The scammer advises the victim to block the card. To avoid suspicion, the scammer does not insist on asking the victim for any personal data.
Victims know that banks never ask customers for personal data and this method is also used by the scammers to gain trust of their victims.
4. Requesting to Block via e-Form
What makes it even more believable is the suggestion for victims to do the blocking themselves. They no longer offer their victims help with blocking. A form will be provided, sent via email for the victim to fill out.
This is where the fraud and data theft begins. The victim will be asked to fill in the credit card data on the e-form that has been sent via email containing the credit card number, expiration date, and CVV code found on the back of the credit card.
Tips to Avoid Fraud
Although it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the scammers, there are still ways to avoid this fraud mode. Here are the steps you must take to tackle the credit card blocking fraud.
1. Do Not Panic
Being informed that your credit card has been used by another party is a social engineering technique. It causes the victim to panic and concern, allowing the perpetrators to continue their actions. However, their method will not work if you remain calm in responding to the information provided by the fake CSO.
2. Recognize the Official Halo BCA Number
The next step is to check the contact number or account used by the scammer. They tend to use the BCA logo to carry out their action.
Please familiarize yourself with the important Halo BCA numbers: phone 1500888, Bank BCA WhatsApp number 0811-1500-998. Other than those numbers, simply say No.
3. Do Not Click on Any Links
Bank Customer Servicenever asks their customers for any sensitive information. Including through the links to fill in confidential personal banking data. If someone gives you a link, just ignore it and don’t click on it.
4. Block via BCA Official Application
You can block your own credit card through the BCA mobile application or myBCA. In addition, you can also contact Halo BCA 1500888 or via the haloBCA app to block credit cards
5. Always Protect Your Data
It is important to keep all data related to your bank account safe at all times. You should not give it to other people, be it by phone, email, or a form from a website for any reason. Your data can be misused if it falls into irresponsible people.
That’s how you can avoid being scammed by people who ask you to block your credit card. Share this information with your family and friends to protect them all from this kind of scam.
Learn more about the latest scams in #AwasModus.