NCB temporarily suspends SMS transaction alerts amid increased phishing attacks

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - The National Commercial Bank (NCB) has temporarily suspended its SMS transaction alert following several cyber-attack attempts from criminals on customers of the organisation.

The bank, in an email early this morning to customers, said the decision was prompted by a noticeable increase in phishing and smishing cases.

The term is a combination of “SMS” and “phishing.”

In a smishing attack, cyber criminals send deceptive text messages to lure victims into sharing personal or financial information, clicking on malicious links, or downloading harmful software or applications.

“We would like to inform you about an important update regarding our notification methods. Beginning Friday, October 13, 2023, we will temporarily suspend our SMS transaction alerts. Your safety is of paramount importance to us and this decision has been prompted by a noticeable increase in phishing and smishing cases,” NCB said in emails to its customers.

“Rest assured, you won't miss any alerts during this period. To stay up-to-date with your transactions, we encourage you to rely on our email alerts, which will continue as usual. Please take a moment to ensure that your email address is current in our records,” the bank said.

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.