Got a Call Claiming to Be from SBI? Read This Before You Answer

State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest public sector bank, has issued a critical advisory via its official Twitter handle to alert customers about the authenticity of certain phone calls. The state-owned bank clarified that calls originating from numbers starting with the prefix +91-1600 are genuine and official communications related to transactional and service matters.

In its tweet, SBI emphasized that these specific numbers are used exclusively for contacting customers regarding banking services, helping them easily distinguish between legitimate calls and “potential spam” or “fraudulent attempts”. The bank urged customers not to engage with unsolicited or suspicious calls and remain vigilant against cyber fraud.

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“Your safety is our priority! If you receive a call from a number starting with +91-1600, rest assured- it's a genuine and legitimate call. These numbers are used for transactional and service-related calls to customers, helping you distinguish legitimate calls from spam and fraudulent ones,” mentioned SBI in its tweet.

The same tweet also reinforced the importance of protecting oneself from cyber scams and maintaining alertness in today’s digital banking environment.

“Do not engage with unsolicited calls and protect yourself from cyber frauds. Stay alert. Stay safe! #SBI #TheBankerToEveryIndian #FraudAwareness #FraudulentTransactionAlert #StaySafeWithSBI,” added the tweet.

This advisory comes amid rising concerns over phishing and fraud attempts targeting bank customers via phone calls and messages.

In an unrelated incident last year, staff members at the State Bank of India (SBI) managed to prevent a senior citizen from falling victim to a digital fraud, highlighting the importance of cybersecurity training provided to bank employees. The fraud attempt, which involved a scamster impersonating authorities and claiming the victim was under 'digital arrest,' was thwarted by the vigilance of bank officer Surya Swathi and the support of the branch's management.