The government has sounded the alarm for millions of SBI customers that even if they commit this mistake innocently, their accounts will be wiped.

Technical News Desk- The Press Information Bureau has issued an alert regarding a new scam targeting millions of customers of the State Bank of India (SBI). According to the nodal agency of the Indian government, scammers are sending fake messages asking users to download an app to redeem fake ‘SBI Rewards’. PIB also shared a message on its social media and advised users to remain vigilant, avoid clicking on unwanted links and downloading unknown files.

The bank does not send such messages
PIB says SBI does not send links or APK files via SMS or WhatsApp to redeem rewards. Therefore, to avoid falling for such scams, the government agency has urged people to avoid messages from unknown numbers. These messages may appear genuine, but in reality, they are sent to steal your personal information.

What is this SBI Rewards scam?
According to the screenshot of one such scam message shared by PIB, in this new scam, a text message is sent through channels like WhatsApp, claiming that customers have redeemed “SBI NetBanking reward points no, which can go up to Rs 18,000”. The message warns that these points will expire soon, so users can redeem them immediately. In it, the user was asked to download an app named ‘SBI Rewards’ to redeem these points. It was also claimed that this amount would be deposited directly into your bank account.

How dangerous is this scam?
However, this message is false. If a user does this, they may unknowingly download dangerous software or APK file, which may result in the theft of personal information including passwords, banking details, and other data. Cybersecurity experts have warned that such APK files can easily steal all the data from the device, through which hackers can also remotely access the phone. Therefore, do not make this mistake, even by mistake.