Bangladesh Bank warns debit, credit card users against fraud

Bangladesh Bank has warned debit and credit card users to remain vigilant against financial fraud, particularly advising them to avoid the lure of converting plastic cards into 'metal cards' through third parties or unauthorised organisations.

The warning was issued in an alert published on the central bank's verified Facebook page on Thursday night, May 14.

Some unauthorised third-party organisations are offering customers to convert their debit and credit cards into metal cards, the alert said. Through this process, customers are being asked to provide sensitive information such as card numbers, expiry dates and CVV numbers, which could create significant financial risks.

These organisations are not authorised by any bank or regulatory body, Bangladesh Bank said. As a result, there is a risk of card information leaks, fraud, unauthorised transactions and financial loss for customers.

Customers have been advised to use card-related services only through their respective bank's authorised channels. Under no circumstances should OTPs, card numbers or CVV numbers be shared with anyone.

If any suspicious activity is noticed, customers should immediately contact their respective bank, the central bank added.