The fake KYC update
Your bank account will be blocked today unless you update KYC through this link.
A message of this kind
Dear Customer1, your SBI KYC expires today2. Update immediately to avoid account being blocked3: http://bit.ly/3xKyc94
What each part is doing
“Dear Customer”
Your bank knows your name. A real message uses it, or the last four digits of your account.
“KYC expires today”
KYC does not expire overnight, and it is never updated through a link in a text message.
“account being blocked”
The threat is the engine of the whole message. It exists to stop you checking.
“http://bit.ly/3xKyc9”
A shortened link hides where it goes. Your bank has no reason to hide its own address.
What happens if someone acts on it
The link opens a page that looks like your bank. Whatever you type there is captured and used within minutes, while the page shows you a spinner.
Got a message that looks like this?
Check a messageIt runs on your phone. Nothing is sent anywhere, and nothing is kept.