The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued a public alert following reports of a fraudulent website and phishing instant messages linked to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, and pointed readers to a related HSBC press release via a hyperlink on the HKMA website. The HKMA reiterated that banks will not send SMS or emails containing embedded hyperlinks that direct customers to banks’ websites to carry out transactions, and will not request sensitive personal information such as login passwords or one-time passwords by phone, email or SMS (including through embedded hyperlinks). Anyone who has provided personal information or conducted financial transactions via the website or instant messages concerned was advised to contact the bank using the details in the HSBC press release and to report the matter to the Hong Kong Police Force.