The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has announced that eleven commercial banks in the country have stopped sending SMS messages with links to their clients as a measure to prevent scams and phishing.
The banks include Bangkok Bank, Krungthai Bank, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, Land and House Bank, Government Savings Bank, Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), TMB Thanachart Bank, Government Housing Bank (GHB), United Overseas Bank (Thai), and Bank of Ayudhya.
In addition to SMS messages, Bangkok Bank, BAAC, and GHB have also stopped sending emails with attached links for clients to click on. Furthermore, Bangkok Bank and BAAC have stopped using social media to attach links to clients, which would seek their personal information via OTP (one-time password).
According to the BOT, clients who receive SMS, social media messages, or emails with attached links from these banks should assume that they were sent by scammers to phish for key data to hack their bank accounts.
The BOT said the decision made by the 11 commercial banks to stop sending SMS messages with links to their clients is expected to significantly enhance the safety and security of customers in Thailand’s banking industry. By eliminating the potential risks associated with phishing and scamming attempts through SMS messages, emails, and social media, bank customers can have greater peace of mind and trust in the security measures implemented by banking institutions. (NNT)
