TIRANA, Nov 2 /ATA/ – The State Police has warned the public about fraudulent text messages impersonating banks in an attempt to steal personal and financial information and gain unauthorised access to customers’ accounts.
The police said the messages, sent from various phone numbers, falsely claim to be from banking institutions and urge recipients to verify their identity within a short deadline, typically 24 or 31 hours.
The messages contain links to fake websites designed to trick users into disclosing sensitive information, including bank card numbers, online banking passwords and verification codes.
The police identified the scam as “smishing”, a form of phishing carried out through SMS messages that exploits customers’ trust in banks and the sense of urgency created by short deadlines.
The stolen information can then be used to access victims’ bank accounts without authorisation and carry out fraudulent financial transactions, the police said.
Authorities urged citizens not to click on links in suspicious messages, even when they display the name of a well-known bank, or disclose card details, passwords, PINs or verification codes on websites accessed through such links.
Citizens were also advised to disregard messages threatening restrictions on banking services unless their identity is verified within a specified timeframe, and to check suspicious communications directly with their bank through official channels.
Anyone who has entered banking details on a suspicious website should immediately contact their bank to block the card or account access and report the incident to the police.
The State Police stressed that the appearance of a bank’s name in a text message does not mean it was sent by the institution itself, urging customers to verify the sender and the web address before taking any action.
Cybercrime investigators are continuing efforts to identify those behind the scams, investigate the cases and prevent financial losses.
People who have received such messages or fallen victim to the schemes are urged to report them to the police and preserve the messages, sender phone numbers and links as potential evidence.
“Protecting your banking information starts with each of us. Do not click on suspicious links or share your financial details,” the police said.
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