Have you received an email from HSBC asking you to confirm your email address to receive a payment confirmation? Beware – this is likely a scam designed to steal your personal and financial information.
The HSBC payment confirmation email scam involves a phishing email sent to victims, requesting them to verify their email address in order to receive confirmation of a payment made to their account via HSBC.
The email uses HSBC branding and claims to be from their “Global Payments and Cash Management” or “Retail Banking and Wealth Management” teams. It states that a payment has been made to the recipient’s account on behalf of a customer, and that the recipient just needs to reply to the email to confirm their details so the payment confirmation can be sent.
Of course, HSBC would never operate this way. The entire email is a scam designed to harvest personal information from unsuspecting recipients. Victims who reply with their email address are signing up to be targets of identity theft.
The scam email is carefully crafted to appear legitimate. The HSBC logo is present and the writing uses financial terminology in an attempt to seem official. For those who hold an HSBC account, it can be easy to let your guard down.
However, there are some red flags that indicate the email is not genuine:
Generic greeting (“Dear Valued Customer”) instead of using your name
Request to confirm account details via email
Poor grammar and spelling errors
Links to suspicious sites instead of official HSBC URLs
The scam works by preying on people’s expectation of receiving payments. The promise of a payment confirmation is designed to get victims to let down their guard and click on links or provide personal information.
The Scale of the Scam
The HSBC payment confirmation scam appears to have been circulating since at least 2022, with peaks of activity in early 2023.
Thousands of complaints have been lodged about this scam in scam warning forums online. However, the true number of victims is likely much higher, as many do not report when they fall prey to email phishing scams.
The scam is not localized to any one area. People all across the UK, US, Europe and other parts of the world have reported receiving the HSBC payment confirmation scam email. Wherever HSBC operates, this scam follows.
While HSBC is the most common brand used, variations of the scam have been seen allegedly from other major banks like Lloyds, Barclays, Wells Fargo, Chase, CIBC, and more.
The scale of the scam highlights the importance of always being vigilant against email phishing attempts.
How the HSBC Payment Confirmation Scam Works
The fraudsters behind this scam use clever psychological tricks and urgent calls to action to convince potential victims to let their guard down. Here is how the scam typically works in 5 steps:
1. The Initial Bait
The scam starts with an email being sent to the target, allegedly from HSBC’s “Global Payments and Cash Management” team.
The subject line often reads something like:
“Payment Advice – Verification Needed to Send Payment Swift Copy”
“Payment Confirmation Required”
“Payment Confirmation Request HSBC”
The body of the email is designed to get the reader’s hopes up that money is coming their way. It explains that a payment has been made to their account via HSBC on behalf of a customer.
Of course, no such payment has actually been made. But the promise of unexpected money convinces many people to throw caution to the wind.
Here is how the email scam works:
Subject: Payment Advice – Verification Needed To Send Payment Swift Copy
This e-mail delivers to: xxxxxxxx
Description: We Request your approval for Payment instruction made on behalf of your customer.
We hope this email finds you well.
A payment has been successfully processed to your account via HSBC on behalf of your customer. To proceed with sharing the payment confirmation, we kindly ask you to confirm your email address for verification purposes.
Simply reply to this email to confirm your E-mail details are correct, and we will immediately provide the payment confirmation for your records.
Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to your prompt response.
Best regards, Global Payments and Cash Management HSBC Commercial Banking
2. Request for Personal Information
After baiting the reader with the prospect of a mystery payment, the scam email then presents the call to action.
It says that in order to receive the payment confirmation, the recipient must “verify their email address.” This is the hook designed to harvest personal information.
The wording aims to make it sound quick and simple for the victim: “Just reply to this email to confirm your details.”
3. Click on Links or Open Attachments
In some versions of the scam, instead of replying to verify their email address, victims are told to click on a link or open a document attachment to confirm their details.
The link or attachment is often disguised as something like:
“Payment Confirmation”
“Copy of Payment Instruction”
“Payment Credit Advice”
Links will typically lead to phishing sites impersonating HSBC, designed to steal login credentials or personal information. Attachments are used to distribute malware.
Either way, the goal is the same – victimize users by getting them to click on something malicious from an email they believed was legitimate.
4. Provide Further Personal Information
For victims who reply to the email with their email address, the scam is only just beginning. This confirms to the scammers that they have someone on the hook who is willing to provide personal information.
The scammers will often respond and say something like:
“Thanks for confirming your email. For security purposes, please also provide your full name, date of birth, and banking details so we can finalize the payment confirmation.”
This piles on further urgent requests designed to harvest additional personal information from victims who have already taken the initial bait. The scammers exploit the victim’s sunk cost bias to get them to keep complying.
5. Identity Theft
Once the scammers have obtained personal information like email addresses, names, birth dates and even banking details from victims, this information can then be used for identity theft.
With enough personal information, scammers can gain access to bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial accounts in the victim’s name. They can also sell the information on the dark web.
Either way, the victim is left compromised through the psychological tricks of the phishing scam, unless they quickly take action to prevent identity theft.
What to Do if You Fell For the Scam
If you received one of these scam emails and unfortunately responded by providing any personal information, don’t panic. Here are important steps you should take right away to minimize any potential damage:
1. Flag the Email as Phishing
If the scam email is still in your inbox, be sure to flag it as phishing which will send a report to your email provider. This helps protect others from receiving the same scam attempt.
You can also report the scam email by forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk, which alerts authorities about new phishing tactics being used against consumers.
2. Change Your Passwords
Immediately change passwords for your email, online banking, and any other accounts for which you might have provided login information. Use strong unique passwords for each account. Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible for an extra layer of security.
3. Contact Your Bank
If banking details were provided, call your bank’s fraud department right away. They can monitor your accounts for suspicious activity and may issue new card numbers if compromised. Let them know your information was shared via a scam so they are aware of the heightened risk to your accounts.
4. Sign Up for Credit Monitoring
Since scammers may have gained access to sensitive identity information, sign up for a credit monitoring service. This will notify you of any suspicious new accounts or credit checks in your name so that you can report fraudulent activity.
5. Freeze Your Credit Reports
Freeze access to your credit reports at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This blocks identity thieves from being able to open new accounts in your name, protecting you from subsequent fraud. Just remember to lift the freeze when you need to legitimately authorize a credit check.
6. File an FTC Complaint
File a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Provide details about the HSBC phishing scam that affected you. This helps authorities track and take action against scammers exploiting consumers.
7. Be Extra Vigilant Going Forward
Learn from any mistakes and be more vigilant against phishing scams going forward. Never send sensitive information over email. If in doubt, contact companies via their official customer service lines before taking any action.
Is Your Device Infected? Scan for Malware
If your computer or phone is slow, showing unwanted pop-ups, or acting strangely, malware could be the cause. Running a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is one of the most reliable ways to detect and remove harmful software. The free version can identify and clean common infections such as adware, browser hijackers, trojans, and other unwanted programs.
Malwarebytes works on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Choose your operating system below and follow the steps to scan your device and remove any malware that might be slowing it down.
Malwarebytes for WindowsMalwarebytes for MacMalwarebytes for Android
Run a Malware Scan with Malwarebytes for Windows
Malwarebytes stands out as one of the leading and widely-used anti-malware solutions for Windows, and for good reason. It effectively eradicates various types of malware that other programs often overlook, all at no cost to you. When it comes to disinfecting an infected device, Malwarebytes has consistently been a free and indispensable tool in the battle against malware. We highly recommend it for maintaining a clean and secure system.
Download Malwarebytes
Download the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows using the official link below. Malwarebytes will scan your computer and remove adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious software for free.
(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes)
Install Malwarebytes
After the download is complete, locate the MBSetup file, typically found in your Downloads folder. Double-click on the MBSetup file to begin the installation of Malwarebytes on your computer. If a User Account Control pop-up appears, click “Yes” to continue the Malwarebytes installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, the setup wizard will guide you through the process.
You’ll first be prompted to choose the type of computer you’re installing the program on—select either “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” as appropriate, then click on Next.
Malwarebytes will now begin the installation process on your device.
When the Malwarebytes installation is complete, the program will automatically open to the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen.
On the final screen, simply click on the Open Malwarebytes option to start the program.
Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start, and you will see the main screen as shown below. To maximize Malwarebytes’ ability to detect malware and unwanted programs, we need to enable rootkit scanning. Click on the “Settings” gear icon located on the left of the screen to access the general settings section.
In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
Now that you have enabled rootkit scanning, click on the “Dashboard” button in the left pane to get back to the main screen.
Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
Once the scan completes, remove all detected threats. Your Windows computer should now be clean and running smoothly again, free of trojans, adware, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Malwarebytes for Mac is an on-demand scanner that can destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss without costing you absolutely anything. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free, and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
Download Malwarebytes for Mac.
You can download Malwarebytes for Mac by clicking the link below.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes for Mac Installer which will guide you through the installation process. Click “Continue“, then keep following the prompts to continue with the installation process.
When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button.
Select “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer”.
The Malwarebytes Welcome screen will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
Click on “Scan”.
To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes for Mac will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Quarantine”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malware that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
Restart computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
After scanning, delete any detected threats. Your Mac should now be free from adware, unwanted extensions, and other potentially harmful software.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious program on your computer, you might want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your computer, please ask for help in our Mac Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Run a Malware Scan with Malwarebytes for Android
Malwarebytes for Android automatically detects and removes dangerous threats like malware and ransomware so you don’t have to worry about your most-used device being compromised. Aggressive detection of adware and potentially unwanted programs keeps your Android phone or tablet running smooth.
Download Malwarebytes for Android.
You can download Malwarebytes for Android by clicking the link below.
In the Google Play Store, tap “Install” to install Malwarebytes for Android on your device.
When the installation process has finished, tap “Open” to begin using Malwarebytes for Android. You can also open Malwarebytes by tapping on its icon in your phone menu or home screen.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process
When Malwarebytes will open, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through a series of permissions and other setup options. This is the first of two screens that explain the difference between the Premium and Free versions. Swipe this screen to continue. Tap on “Got it” to proceed to the next step. Malwarebytes for Android will now ask for a set of permissions that are required to scan your device and protect it from malware. Tap on “Give permission” to continue. Tap on “Allow” to permit Malwarebytes to access the files on your phone.
Update database and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Android
You will now be prompted to update the Malwarebytes database and run a full system scan.
Click on “Update database” to update the Malwarebytes for Android definitions to the latest version, then click on “Run full scan” to perform a system scan.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your phone for adware and other malicious apps. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Remove Selected”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes for Android has detected. To remove the malicious apps that Malwarebytes has found, tap on the “Remove Selected” button.
Restart your phone.
Malwarebytes for Android will now remove all the malicious apps that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your device.
When the scan is finished, remove all detected threats. Your Android phone should now be free of malicious apps, adware, and unwanted browser redirects.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious app on your phone, you may want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your phone after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Restore your phone to factory settings by going to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset.
After cleaning your device, it’s important to protect it from future infections and annoying pop-ups. We recommend installing an ad blocker such as AdGuard. AdGuard blocks malicious ads, prevents phishing attempts, and stops dangerous redirects, helping you stay safe while browsing online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the HSBC payment confirmation email scam?
This is a phishing scam where recipients receive a fraudulent email claiming a payment has been made to their account via HSBC. The email requests victims confirm their personal details in order to receive a payment confirmation. This is a ploy to harvest personal information for identity theft.
How do I recognize this scam email?
These scam emails pretend to be from HSBC’s “Global Payments and Cash Management” or “Retail Banking and Wealth Management” teams. They have a subject line like “Payment Confirmation Required” and state a payment was made to you via HSBC. They ask you to click a link or reply to verify your email address.
What are some red flags of the scam?
Red flags include a generic greeting, poor grammar/spelling, requests for you to click links or provide details via email, suspicious attachments, or links to fake HSBC sites. Real HSBC emails would not operate this way.
What happens if I respond to the scam email?
If you respond with personal details, you are at high risk of identity theft. Scammers can use your email, name, banking details, etc. to access your financial accounts and commit fraud.
What should I do if I already responded to the scam email?
Immediately change your account passwords, contact your bank, sign up for credit monitoring, freeze your credit reports, and file an FTC complaint. This can help minimize damages from any stolen personal information.
How can I avoid falling for phishing scams?
Be wary of unexpected emails asking you to click links or provide personal/financial information. Contact companies via official channels to verify legitimacy if unsure. Enable two-factor authentication and never send sensitive data over email.
How do I report scam emails?
Report phishing emails by forwarding to report@phishing.gov.uk. You can also report to your email provider’s spam/abuse department and flag the message as phishing. This helps prevent others from being targeted.
Are other banks targeted besides HSBC?
Yes, variations of this scam have also spoofed other major banks like Lloyds, Barclays, Chase, Wells Fargo, and more. The scam exploits brand familiarity when requesting sensitive personal data.
How can I stay up-to-date on current phishing scams?
Check bank and cybersecurity websites regularly for updated scam warnings. Sign up for scam alert newsletters from organizations like ActionFraud to learn about the latest phishing tactics targeting consumers.
The Bottom Line
The HSBC payment confirmation phishing scam is targeting unsuspecting consumers with the lure of a mystery payment. Don’t take the bait.
This scam shows how even well-known banks can be impersonated by scammers. Reply with caution if ever asked for personal or banking details over email, no matter how official an email looks.
Be wary of any unsolicited emails with attachments or links, urgent requests for information, or those asking you to “confirm your details.” Stay alert against phishing so you don’t fall victim to identity theft.
Remember, your bank will never email asking you to verify your account details. If in doubt, call them directly before providing information. With vigilance and safe online practices, you can protect yourself against these malicious scam.
Thomas is an expert at uncovering scams and providing in-depth reporting on cyber threats and online fraud. As an editor, he is dedicated to keeping readers informed on the latest developments in cybersecurity and tech.
