Fake letter from CTBC - did you get one of these?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Warning shared in a gc

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AI explained:

This appears to be a potential banking scam letter from CTBC Bank (中國信託銀行) in Taiwan. The handwritten note on the letter warns that "this letter looks like a scam" and advises to call 165 (Taiwan's anti-fraud hotline) to verify, noting that elderly people might be particularly vulnerable to losing money if they call the number provided in the letter

Recommended Actions

Do Not:

  • Call any phone numbers provided in the letter
  • Provide any personal or banking information
  • Transfer any money

Do Take These Steps:

  1. Report to authorities by calling 165 (Taiwan’s anti-fraud hotline)
  2. Contact CTBC Bank directly through their official channels to verify any communications
  3. Share the warning with family members, especially elderly relatives who might be more vulnerable

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This is another example of a CTBC Bank (中國信託銀行) scam attempt, this time through an email notification format. The image shows a fraudulent email claiming to be from CTBC Bank's card security center, with a warning banner in red text stating "Scammers have changed their methods again, please be careful!"

Scam Characteristics

The fake email notification claims:

  • A phone number change request is being processed for the recipient’s card
  • The new number will be +886 2 1230 7265
  • The change will be finalized within 24 hours
  • The recipient can use their Mastercard Gold for online purchases

Warning Signs

  • The urgent “24-hour” timeline creates pressure to act quickly
  • The message attempts to appear official by using CTBC Bank’s logo and branding
  • The email prompts action regarding sensitive account information
  • A suspicious phone number change that wasn’t initiated by the account holder

Safety Reminder

If you receive such communications:

  • Never respond to unsolicited banking communications
  • Contact CTBC Bank directly through their official channels
  • Report suspicious activities to 165 (Taiwan’s anti-fraud hotline)
  • Do not click any links or buttons in suspicious emails
2 Likes
2

I get this sort of junk email (but not any snail mail letters) from various sources, not just Banks. The usual line is that for some reason you need to login to your account. … Which of course is the key, as like the email address that it came from, the WebLink will be fake, and by ‘logging in’ you won’t get far, except that by trying to do so, you give them your username and password.

Now just where they get your postal address from is interesting. I use a shredder for all paper that has any ID data on it.

Be careful, as the reduction of cash has resulted in these electronic attempts growing. And help out your elderly friends and relatives too as they will be much more prone to these attempts.

2 Likes
3

:+1:

Guy

4

Damn that letter looks seriously legit. Scamsters are such a problem here!

Guy

2 Likes
5

And brazen too. It’s way easier to trace a snail mail than email. Like I’m wondering if prints could be lifted off these letters to find who sent it. But you can definitely narrow it down to where it’s sent from, and even catch who put the letters in (it would certainly be a lot of letters all addressed to different people) either at a mailbox or post office.

Actually I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s an inside job. You don’t just print fake bank letters like this.

If you receive any such letter, minimize contact with it and give it to the police. I bet they can find who sent it quickly.

6

Looks like this is a mistake!

It is legit.

你可以先知道：
（1）網傳圖片為中國信託「通知客戶」有人將錢誤存／轉入其帳戶的信件，並非詐騙信件。
（2）一般來說，中信客服會先以客戶留存的電話進行聯絡，3 個工作天內連繫不上，才會以信函方式通知。

Translation:

You should know:

  1. The circulating image shows a legitimate “customer notification” letter from CTBC Bank regarding money mistakenly deposited/transferred into their account. This is not a scam letter.
  2. Generally, CTBC customer service will first attempt to contact customers using their registered phone number. Only if they cannot reach the customer within 3 business days will they send a notification by mail.
1 Like