BDO warns public against scammers

BDO Unibank Inc. warned the public on Monday against scammers offering help in opening online bank accounts.

“As online scammers remain on the prowl for potential victims, BDO Unibank advises its clients and the banking public in general to follow this simple caution: if you didn’t join any contest, you didn’t win anything. Don’t fall for offers that are too good to be true because they most probably are not true,” the bank said in a statement.

It said scammers were calling account holders to inform them about a prize they allegedly won and encouraging them to open an online bank account to redeem it. These scammers offer their help and ask the victim to activate it using a code they will be providing.

BDO said this supposed offer to “help” or “assist” account holders in opening an online bank account is a modus by scammers to get direct access to their would-be victims’ bank account.

BDO warned clients that if they have an online bank account, scammers may try to take over the account through email or phone scam by offering higher daily transfer limit, stronger account security or other enticements.