Beware! Do not search SBI customer care number on Google, here’s why

The State Bank of India (SBI) is India’s largest lender and government-owned bank, with crores of customers across the country. Recently, SBI has warned all of its customers regarding fraudulent customer care numbers that run financial scams using the bank’s name.

SBI has recently issued an official statement in which it stated how searching for customer care numbers on Google in case of any problems can be dangerous for customers. The bank further advised that customers should refer to the official website of the bank for customer care numbers.

In a post on Twitter alerting its customers, SBI said, “Beware of fraudulent customer care numbers. Please refer to the official website of SBI for correct customer care numbers. Refrain from sharing confidential banking information with anyone.”

Apart from the tweet, the State Bank of India also keeps sending multiple reminders to customers via SMS or emails that the bank’s employees will never ask for sensitive information such as account numbers, debit card details, internet banking credentials, or OTP.

SBI has further asked customers not to click on any links on third-party websites, as they might lead to a leak of your bank account or other personal information. The bank also recently issued four points to be kept in mind for customer safety.

1. Do not click on attachments/links received in SMS/emails from unknown sources
2. Do not download any mobile app based on telephone calls/emails from unknown sources.
3. Do not share sensitive details like Aadhaar number, date of birth, mobile number, debit card number, PIN, CVV, Internet banking user ID/password, OTP.
4. The bank never sends links to update KYC.

The State Bank of India has also stated that customers must always rely on the official website of the bank if they want to update or make changes to any personal information in their bank accounts. Using third party websites can often lead to fraud and scams.