KUALA LUMPUR – Public Bank Bhd has taken further steps to curb the rising number of frauds and scams, including providing round-the-clock assistance to customers via its case management unit.
Managing director and chief executive officer Tan Sri Tay Ah Lek said the bank’s specially trained and experienced staff will provide the necessary and timely assistance to affected customers.
“As time is of the essence, Public Bank’s staff will be available to assist you 24/7,” he said in a statement today.
Should customers notice any irregularities in their bank accounts, they can contact the case management hotline at 03-2177-3555.
Upon receiving a fraud or scam report, access to the customer’s PBe internet banking and PB engage mobile banking app will be terminated immediately, thus preventing further unauthorised transfers while the bank expedites the recovery of stolen funds.
Public Bank said customers can also self-deactivate their access to PBe internet banking and PB engage mobile banking under such circumstances via the PBe login page.
Reactivation can only be done at the branch or by the staff at the case management unit with the necessary verifications.
The bank said it will continue to emphasise banking security to ensure that all customers can conduct their online banking transactions in a secure and safe environment.
It noted that the five key measures to combat scams announced by Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunos at the Financial Crime Exhibition 2022 will effectively raise the level of online banking security,
Public Bank said it has also stepped up its efforts to protect customers’ accounts by introducing a series of counter-measures in its fraud detection and prevention system, based on the evolving modus operandi of scammers.
“The system will flag suspicious and abnormal transactions and they are constantly reviewed to determine the effectiveness.
“Customers transferring to any new beneficiary via PBe and PB engage will also be prompted with a warning message to alert them to be extra cautious before proceeding with the transfer,” the bank said.
Public Bank has also deployed a more secure authentication method with its mobile app security token, PB SecureSign (PBSS) on the PB engage Mobile Banking app.
PBSS can only bind to one mobile device with a stringent activation process, where customers registered for PBSS on their mobile banking app are required to activate it at the bank’s branch units, automatic teller machines, or by contacting PBe customer support, it said.
“Public Bank will also enable transaction approval via PBSS for PBe internet banking by October 2022.
“Similar to PB engage mobile banking, customers with PBSS activated can approve transactions through a more secure authentication method. This will replace the PBe authentication code via SMS, which will eventually be phased out,” the bank said.
Public Bank also highlighted that for the first half of 2022, approximately 500,000 of its customers’ accounts were prevented and saved from the attempted fraudulent transfers of close to RM900 million to mule accounts.
The bank is also fully committed to work steadfastly with all parties to combat security threats and has also embarked on intensive education efforts to keep customers updated of the latest trend and evolving modus operandi of frauds and scams.
“This includes raising customer awareness on the importance of being vigilant at all times by not clicking on unknown links, safeguarding privacy and banking information, and being aware of suspicious apps to ensure that their devices remain secure at all times,” it added.
For more information, customers can visit Public Bank’s Online Security microsite at https://www.pbebank.com/onlinesecurity/index.html. – Bernama, September 29, 2022
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