E-mails linking to a fraudulent website

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public in Hong Kong to some e-mails purporting to be sent from Hang Seng Bank Limited. These e-mails contain a hyperlink (for example, http://218.30.21.35/online/hang/ebanklogon.php) connecting to a fraudulent website. The fraudulent website requests customers to verify their account information by entering their Internet banking account's user name and password, and Hong Kong Identity Card Number. The fraudulent website looks very similar to Hang Seng Bank Limited's Personal Internet Banking website. Hang Seng Bank Limited has issued a press release today to clarify that Hang Seng Bank Limited has not sent these e-mails to its customers and has no connection with the fraudulent website. In addition, Hang Seng Bank Limited will never send e-mails asking its customers to provide their passwords or verify their account information online.

Hang Seng Bank Limited has already reported the case to the Hong Kong Police Force for investigation. Anyone who has dealings with this fraudulent website, or has provided his or her personal information to the website, or has conducted any financial transactions through the website should contact Hang Seng Bank Limited at 2822 0228, and any local Police Station or the Commercial Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

"Members of the public are reminded not to access their Internet banking accounts through hyperlinks embedded in e-mails or Internet search engines. They should access their Internet banking accounts by keying in the website addresses at the address bar of the browser, or bookmark the genuine website and use that function to access their Internet banking accounts. If in doubt, they should contact their banks," said an HKMA spokesperson.

For further enquiries, please contact:
Kevin Ip, Manager (Press), at 2878 1687 or
Thomas Chan, Senior Manager (Press), at 2878 1480

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
8 September 2004