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Received a suspicious text?

Text scams, or smishing, are when a fraudster sends you a text that pretends to be from someone you trust. Here we break down how criminals are sending ever more sophisticated scam texts, and what you can do to protect yourself.

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Texts we might send you

If you've received a text message that looks like it may have come from HSBC, it can sometimes be tricky to tell a scam text from the real thing. 

Here you'll find examples of the kind of texts we might send you and why, to help you figure out if it really did come from us.

Remember, if you're ever in any doubt, don't respond - call us on the normal number on the back of your card.

Texts a fraudster might send you

Scammers often send fake text messages that look like they’ve come from your bank, or another trusted organisation. Their goal is to get you to reply with your personal or financial information.

Typically they’ll:

  • encourage you to take urgent action
  • ask you to verify new payees, transactions or devices
  • look similar to real messages. They may show up in the same thread as genuine messages you’ve received from an organisation

Here are some typical scam messages. If you receive something like this, delete the message and do not respond.

What to do if you receive a suspicious text

If you've received a text that you believe is suspicious:

Don't

  • Click on any links.
  • Download any attachments.
  • Reply to the text.

Do

  • Report the message to us at phishing@hsbc.com.
  • Report the message to your mobile operator by forwarding the message to 7726, free of charge.
  • Contact us using the number on the back of your card if you want to check whether the message was genuine.
  • Delete the message.
 

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