With scams on the rise, it is understandable that some Singaporeans would be on high alert for fraudulent letters claiming to be from legitimate companies.
In fact, one particular DBS mailer about temporary online account deactivation recently made the rounds on WhatsApp, with senders claiming that it was "fraudulent".
However, DBS has since confirmed in a Facebook post on Aug. 4 that the letter is indeed legitimate.
The letter
The letter reads, "We have detected a number of unsuccessful PIN log-in attempts made on your DBS digibank. For your protection, please rest assured that access to your digibank has been temporarily deactivated on (date)."
It also directs the customer to follow a sequence of steps to reactivate their online banking access.
Senders were advised to forward the viral Whatsapp message regarding the "fraudulent" mailer to friends and family to raise awareness because "it looks very legit".
A sample of the viral Whatsapp message. Image from DBS on Facebook.
Temporary online account deactivation an anti-scam precaution: DBS
In their post, DBS stated that social media, WhatsApp, and SMS messages claiming that the mailer is fraudulent had caused some "confusion".
The bank clarified that it was indeed a legitimate letter sent by DBS.
Such letters are sent to inform the customer that their digibank access has been temporarily deactivated after several unsuccessful log-in attempts.
"This is a precautionary measure we have in place to safeguard our customers against scammers," DBS explained.
As such, the bank urged members of the public not to share or forward such messages when received.
The bank added that those who are in doubt when receiving such letters can verify their authenticity by checking directly with the bank via the DBS Help & Support page.
Customers can also call DBS's dedicated 24/7 fraud reporting hotline at 1800 339 6963 for assistance.
Top image from DBS on Facebook / DBS website.