Police Warn Public of Fraudulent Text Messages Mimicking Banks

The Malta Police Force is urging the public to remain vigilant following a surge in scam messages and phone calls impersonating bank officials. Over the past days, numerous individuals have reported receiving misleading SMS messages containing fraudulent links, followed by phone calls from local-looking numbers such as +356 99180001 or +356 991800001.

Since November 2024, more than 60 reports have been filed. Victims are contacted by a woman speaking fluent Maltese, who claims to be a bank employee working in the fraud department. She uses various names such as Sandra, Cynthia, or Rachel, and personally addresses the recipient by name.

During the call, the scammer alleges suspicious activity linked to an iPhone transaction in a specific locality or mentions unauthorised transactions of a certain amount. The victim is then instructed to click a link to “stop the transaction.” Once clicked, the link redirects to a fake website mimicking the bank’s official page, complete with its logo and design.

After the call ends, several fraudulent transactions are made to foreign beneficiaries. Authorities stress these messages and calls are nothing more than scams. If received, the public is advised not to engage and to delete them immediately.

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