The State Bank of India (SBI) has issued a public alert about a new type of fraud targeting bank customers, especially pensioners. In a post on their official handle on X (formerly Twitter), SBI explained how fraudsters are trying to change customers' registered mobile numbers to gain access to their bank alerts and transactions.
According to SBI, fraudsters are mainly targeting pensioners. They call and pretend to offer faster processing of the Pension Payment Order (PPO) or ask for PPO verification. If the person refuses, the caller threatens that their pension will be blocked or delayed.
Once the scammers get hold of sensitive personal details, they try to replace the customer's registered mobile number with their own. This allows them to receive all SMS alerts about banking transactions, while the real account holder stays unaware.
A Pension Payment Order (PPO) number is a 12-digit unique ID given by EPFO to pensioners under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS). It is used for all pension-related communication and transactions.
SBI clearly states that it never asks for PPO verification through calls, SMS, links, or ATM visits.
SBI has shared a few safety tips for its customers:
If you need to change your mobile number linked to your SBI account, follow these steps:
SBI has also informed that calls starting with +91-1600 are genuine. These are used for official service-related and transactional calls only. Customers are advised to avoid engaging with unknown or unsolicited calls.
Read more: New SMS Phishing Scam ‘Magic Mouse’ Targets Credit Card Users Worldwide.
Your registered mobile number is the key to your bank account. Be alert, follow the safety tips, and don’t fall for scams. SBI will never ask for sensitive details over a call or message. Stay informed, and keep your banking safe.
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Published on: Sep 3, 2025, 3:47 PM IST
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