Search

SECURITY & FRAUD CENTER

Report Fraud

Protect Yourself

Report Fraud Now!

Suspect fraudulent use of your HSBC account? Call the phone number on your statement.

Learn more about what to do if you're a victim of fraud >

A lock symbol in the wrong place on a web page. A misspelled domain name in the address line. Lotteries that charge a fee to collect your winnings. All of these tricks and more have been used to take someone's money or identity. To avoid being conned, learn the telltale signs below.

Navigate Tips for Identifying:

Beware of Phishing

So-called "phishing" emails appear to be from legitimate companies. Typically, they warn you of an urgent problem with your account and trick you into clicking on a link which takes you to a phony website. Remember, no reputable company would request personal information via email. Other warning signs that an email is fraudulent:

Generic salutation such as "Dear user" and/or unpersonalized information in the text of the email.
The logo is distorted or stretched.
The link in the email doesn't match the URL of the legitimate site.
There's an attachment that may launch a virus or spyware on your computer.

Phishing Websites

Fraudulent (phishing) emails may direct you to a bogus or spoof site that's often very convincing. Look closely for these telltale signs:

The site threatens to shut down your account unless you verify your personal information.
The site returns an error message and asks you to log in.
The URL isn't quite right. For example, you see www.hbsc.com or www.hsb.com instead of www.hsbcusa.com. The URL may also contain numbers (such as an IP address) or an "@" symbol.
The padlock icon is out of place. It should be in the browser status bar in the lower right and not within the web page.
When you double-click on the lock icon, you get a warning that the site address doesn't match the security certificate.
The logo is distorted or stretched which indicates it's been copied.
Spelling and grammar mistakes.
If there's a phone number on the fake website, it doesn't match the phone number on your account statement.
You can't link to a home page from the fraudulent site.

Recognizing Phone Fraud

Never give out personal information over the phone unless you initiate the contact. Be suspicious of the following:

Automated messages with urgent requests to verify your account.
Voicemails asking you to call a number with an "809", "284", "876" or other international code. You'll end up with an expensive phone bill.
To claim a lottery prize or other winnings, you're asked to dial a two-digit code preceded or followed by the "#" or "*" key (for example, *79 or 72#) and then an 800 number. This is a call-forwarding scam.

Spotting Mail Fraud

If it sounds too good to be true, it's probably a scam. Be suspicious of the following:

Pre-approved credit offers that charge a fee to get your card.
Job scams asking you to pay for more information.
Work-at-home schemes that require you to buy something before you can start work.
Any request to call a 900 number (All you'll get is a large phone bill.)
Donation requests to unregistered charities.
Sweepstakes and lotteries where you have to pay to receive your prize or those involving a foreign country.

Watch Out for Skimming

Credit card fraud can occur anywhere you make a transaction including restaurants, gas stations and other retail locations. Beware of the following:

Swiping your credit card twice, once for your meal and a second time through a skimming device (As a general rule, don't let your card out of your sight.)
Someone looking over your shoulder at the register.
Receipts and carbon copies. Ask for them and file or destroy them.