KYC Update SMS Link Scam by SMS

How it looks by SMS, the red flags and what to do.

On SMS the scammer has only a few lines to work with, so they use a deadline, a threat or a prize and a link that must be tapped "now". KYC Update SMS Link Scam is one of the ways this shows up: A text says your KYC has expired and your account will be blocked today. The link opens a fake form that steals your card, OTP and PIN.

What kyc update sms link scam looks like by SMS

• A very short message with a deadline such as "today" or "within 24 hours".
• A shortened or oddly spelled link that does not match the real website.
• A request to call a number, install an app or share an OTP.

The scammer buys or copies a bulk SMS service and sends the same text to lakhs of numbers. The message uses the name of a large bank because most people have an account with one of them. The sender name is often a random mobile number or a header that only resembles the real one. Nobody has checked whether you even bank there. They only need a few people to believe it.

Red flags to check on the text message

• It threatens to block the account today.
• The link is shortened or the domain is not the bank's exact address.
• It asks for card number, CVV, PIN or OTP on a web form.
• The greeting is 'Dear customer' with no name or last digits.
• The link domain is not the one you type yourself for that organisation.
• The message asks for an OTP, PIN, card number or password.

What to do

1. Do not tap the link or reply to the message.
2. Open the bank's own app, which you installed from the official store, and look for a KYC notice there.
3. If you want to check, call the number printed on your debit card or passbook.
4. Open the official app or type the official website yourself to see if there is any real notice.
5. Paste the text into a scam checker (Safeavio Sentinel can check it) before you do anything else.
6. Report the sender on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) and block the number.

You can report suspicious SMS and calls on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) of the Department of Telecommunications.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call 1930 at once and tell them the card or account details you entered.
2. Ask your bank, through the number on your card, to block the card and freeze net banking.
3. File a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in with screenshots of the text and the page.
4. Change your net banking password and UPI PIN from the official app.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio Sentinel lets you paste or share the text and gives a plain verdict with reasons such as urgency, a threat and a request for OTP or card details. The link check looks at the address for lookalike domains and shortened links before you open it. It works only on text and links you give it, so it cannot read your inbox on its own. It also cannot recover money already sent, so use it before you tap.

Full guide: KYC Update SMS Link Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: WhatsApp, email.

Questions