Recently, many Ukrainians on the phone receive sms-messages on behalf of banks, which say: "Your card is blocked. Call a phone like this ". Usually it is a question of card accounts in the largest banks of the country - "Oschadbank" and "Privatbank".

Those who call back to these phones at the other end of the line explain that this is the bank's security service, and they say that in order to find out the reason for the blockage, the client must dictate the data of his card.

To understand what these messages are and how to react to them, the "FACTS" appealed to Vladimir Moskalenko, director of the e-commerce and payment systems department at Oschadbank:.

- Distribution of such messages is quite common fraudulent technology, the purpose of which is to seize confidential data on bank accounts of bank customers. Let me remind you that such information includes the card number, its validity period, the three-digit security code on its back side (CVV2 / CVC2-code), one-time passwords for Internet operations, code word, PIN code, access passwords in "Oschad24 / 7" ). Subsequently, these data can be used to withdraw money from accounts.

The actions of fraudsters are based on so-called social engineering, which is carried out by well-trained people in various psychological ways. The calculation is simple: the panic, reflex response of the person who received sms. The customer of the bank will immediately react to the message about the card blocking and will call. Scammers can be represented by security officers of banks, the National Bank of Ukraine, social institutions and, by applying psychological pressure, persuade a person to tell them confidential information about the card that can not be divulged either to friends, strangers or persons who are represented by bank employees.

Unfortunately, there are people who fall for the bait of scammers and call at the phone number indicated by those. As a result, some lose their means. We urge clients to be more vigilant and attentive, not to react gullible to all sorts of tricks of intruders.

- Why such messages are received mainly by clients of the largest banks?.

- Scammers do not have client databases. Therefore, do mass mailing at random - by selecting phone numbers.

Messages are received also by people who do not have an account in our bank or do not have a card account at all. But the calculation is just that among the recipients will be the owners of the bank cards, on whose behalf these sms are sent out. Naturally, scammers choose large banks, since they have the most clients and, consequently, the likelihood that the messages will reach the right people, the highest.

- A person who has an account in Oschadbank received such an SMS. How should he react?.

- You do not need to react at all. Remember, the bank does not send out such sms. The only messages that the bank sends to customers are information about cash flow on accounts and advertising.

And these messages from the bank have the following distinctive features:.

- the name of the sender is always indicated by Oschadbank, that is, the message comes exclusively from Oschadbank and can not enter any other numbers;.

- the bank never asks for a call back in the message;.

- the customer can contact the bank only by calling the Contact Center: 0-800-210-800, which is always indicated in the message and on the back of the payment card. There are no other numbers for communication with the bank.

So the main tip: if you received a similar sms from an unknown number, do not call back the phone number specified in this message. Otherwise, you risk losing your money. Be sure to call back to the Contact Center and report the receipt of a suspicious SMS. Well, and if you suspect that someone is using your confidential information, immediately block the card. It can be done independently in the web-banking "Oschad 24/7" or by calling the Contact Center.