Diamond Trust Bank Warns Customers Of Scam Targeting Bank Details Via SMS: "Watch Out"

• Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has alerted customers about a significant increase in phishing attacks targeting bank card details via SMS
• The scam involves fraudulent messages prompting recipients to click on a link and enter their bank card information, which scammers then misuse
• DTB has issued several safety tips, advising customers to be vigilant against messages from unknown numbers and avoid clicking on suspicious links

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than three years of financial, business, and technology research expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.

Kenya— Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has warned its customers about a recent surge in SMS phishing attacks targeting bank card details.

The scam involves messages that prompt recipients to click on a link and enter their bank card information, which fraudsters then exploit.

"We have been made aware of a scam targeting our customers via SMS, where upon clicking a link, you are prompted to enter your bank card details, which are then misused by the scammers" DTB said in an email sent to its customers.

How scammers are targeting bank customers

The bank explained that the scammers send messages to unsuspecting Kenyans and ask for their personal information urgently.

The messages they send have the following message or a variation:

"Kindly update your delivery location. within 12 hours, otherwise we will proceed to return the product."

These messages are accompanied by a link which collects the customers personal information which is further misused for various criminal activities.

How customers can protect themselves

The bank advised customers to:

• Watch out for messages from unknown numbers asking for your personal information
• Do not click on suspicious links
• Never share your debit, credit or prepaid card details, your PIN or your OTP
• Verify the authenticity of any communication

Equity Bank fraud see customers lose KSh 290m

In other related news detectives from the Banking Fraud Unit under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are probing 19 people linked to a fraud that saw Equity Bank lose KSh 290 million, according to People Daily.

The suspects fleeced the bank of millions through a massive debit fraud undertaken between April 9 and April 15.

In its letter addressed to the detectives, the bank reported that KSh 179.7 million was fraudulently paid out to 551 bank accounts; KSh 63 million was sent to M-Pesa and KSh 39 million to 11 commercial banks.