The State Bank of India (SBI) has issued a critical alert to all its customers, cautioning them against scam messages circulating via SMS and WhatsApp. These fraudulent messages involve deceptive APK files, falsely promising users an opportunity to earn SBI reward points.
SBI has confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that it does not send out links or unsolicited APK files through these communication channels. The bank advises customers to refrain from clicking on any suspicious links or downloading files from unknown sources to safeguard their personal and financial information.
An APK, which stands for Android Package Kit, is a file format used for installing applications on Android systems. While SBI does offer a rewards program where points accumulated through transactions can be exchanged for 25 rupees each, fraudsters are exploiting this feature by tempting users with fake rewards. Hence, customers are urged to stay alert.
