TIPS:

The subject claimed to be an employee of a telecommunications company, contacted customers by phone or text message and requested support for upgrading and converting 4G/5G sim cards for free. Then, request to provide the OTP code sent by the network to the customer’s phone number or instruct the customer to text Short Message Service from their own phone according to the network’s prescribed syntax and the character sequence “SerialSIM” provided by the fraudster. The message structure is usually:

Viettel network:              *098*4Serial_SIM#

Mobifone network:         *090*7#OK then enter the Serial number of the SIM card

VinaPhone network:       *091*38*Serial SIM#

If this is done, theSIM of the phone the customer is using will be disconnectedand cannot be used. At the same time, the subject will successfully appropriate the customer’s SIM and easily commit further fraudulent acts.

CONSEQUENCES:

Fraudsters use the phone number they just appropriated to activate banking services, receive OTP codes, transfer money, top up wallets, pay for purchases,… to appropriate customers’ money.

Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank RECOMMENDED:

1.      Contact the 24/7 Hotline of Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank immediately at (024) 39 44 55 66 to lock the emergency service if you have followed the instructions and the phone SIM is no longer usable.

2.      Secure phone SIM information by setting up a PIN code for SIM (according to the telecommunications carrier’s instructions).

3.      Be wary of calls and messages from unknown numbers with the following contents: free SIM upgrade support or prize winning notification.

4.      Do not access unfamiliar links sent in messages, do not text messages according to the syntax instructed by strangers.

5.      Absolutely keep personal information confidential. Never give passwords, PINs, OTP authentication codes, activation codes, etc. to anyone in any form.

6.      Changes and SIM upgrades should only be made at the telecommunications carrier’s transaction point or through the carrier’s Application.

7.      Share this information with relatives and friends to increase vigilance.

Regularly update Instructions for safe electronic banking transactions on the homepage of Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank.

For support on related issues, please contact Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank’s 24/7 Hotline (024) 39 44 55 66  or go to the nearest transaction point.