Be Sure It’s Your Bank
1. Is It Really My Bank Calling?
You receive a call at an odd hour and the person speaking at the other claims that they are calling you from your bank.
How can you be sure that it’s your bank that’s calling and not a fraudster?
By looking at the 10-digit incoming call number.
Banks in India are mandated to use specific number series when calling customers/prospects.
- For transactions/service/verification purposes – numbers starting with 1600
- For promotions or sharing information – numbers starting with 140
Calls from these numbers help distinguish genuine bank communications from scams.
2. Is It Really My Bank’s Website?
You receive a WhatsApp message from what looks like your bank that is asking you to click on a link and update your personal information.
Firstly, DO NOT CLICK on any links received on any of the social media platforms.
Secondly, how do you ensure that it’s your bank’s genuine Website that you are accessing?
Look for the domain ending in “.bank.in”
Whether you have an account with a private bank like HDFC or a public sector bank like SBI or a foreign bank like HSBC or a small regional rural bank (RRB) or a cooperative bank, all their Websites in India will now have a unique domain that ends with .bank.in, which isn’t available for anyone else to register.
3. Is it Really My Insurance Company’s Website?
Like with banks, RBI has introduced the .fin.in domain for all Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) including insurance companies.
These changes mandated by RBI will significantly enhance cybersecurity and trust in India’s financial ecosystem. These changes will help curb digital fraud, protect consumers, and establish a secure online presence for financial institutions. Unlike regular “.com” or “.in” domains, “.bank.in” or “.fin.in” are exclusive to verified Indian banks, ensuring that customers can easily identify authentic websites.