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Fraud Awareness & Cybersecurity
Fraud Prevention and Cybersecurity
Fraud Prevention and Cybersecurity
Our KH Online e-banking is equipped with industry standard security technology and practices to ensure that our clients are protected.
The financial industry is confronted with a broad range of crimes aimed at extracting personal, confidential data for financial gain. We take our responsibility to look after your money and personal information seriously. Therefore we have security measures in place to help combat fraud and cybercrime. Nevertheless, fraud remains a key threat and scams are ever evolving - be scam aware and act quickly if you suspect you have been the victim of fraud.
At SG Kleinwort Hambros, we support the industry fraud awareness campaign Take Five. It provides clear and unbiased guidance to assist individuals across the UK in safeguarding themselves against financial fraud.
Safety Measures Before you Click
Safety Measures Before You Click
When you click on a link, it’s comparable to letting a stranger into your home. Before doing so, ensure it comes from a legitimate source and if unsure – don't click it, delete it.
Make sure your computer has up to date anti-virus software and a firewall installed. This can often be set up to update automatically.
Ensure your browser is set to the highest level of security and monitoring to prevent malware isssues and computer crimes.
Always install the latest software and app updates on all of your devices.
Protect your email account with a strong, separate password and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible.
Your Vigilance is Key
Your Vigilance is Key
As individuals there are also some simple steps and guidance that we can all easily follow to improve our personal online security.
If you are contacted with an unusual request or a too-good-to-be-true investment opportunity, always consider what you are being asked to do and how you are being asked to do it. If the request or offer has a ‘deadline' or is 'urgent', you should be suspicious. Never reveal your password, or any payment or credit card details over the phone, click on a link or enter personal details.
You can speak to your Private Banker at any time and if you’re not a SGKH client, please contact your local law enforcement. In the UK, you can report the fraud to Action Fraud. They can be contacted on: 0300 123 2040 or online: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
If you are unsure about the credentials of the individual who has contacted you, or the authenticity of an investment opportunity, please speak to your private banker or contact us via the form at the bottom of this page.
Could it be Fraud?
Could it be Fraud?
Are you scam aware? Fraudsters excel at immitating individuals, organisations and even law enforcement. They dedicate extensive time to researching their targets, hoping to catch them off guard for a brief moment. Can you outwit them? Challenge your ability to identify scams by taking the Take Five Quiz.
Have you been contacted about a fraud on your account?
Your bank, the police or any other authority (e.g. Financial Regulators) will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account or ask you to approve payments (or “refunds”) that you have not made. Do not give anyone remote access to your computer or install any applications or software to your computer or devices during or following a cold call or unsolicited message or text. If unsure, end the call and contact the bank using a number you know to be correct.
Have you been asked to transfer money unexpectedly?
Who has asked you to transfer funds? ‘Displayed names’ such as those preceding email addresses or in SMS messages cannot always be trusted. If in doubt confirm the validity of the request independently with the sender. A bank or genuine organisation will never contact you out of the blue asking you to move your money to keep it safe.
Are you being pressured into transferring money? If you're unsure, we suggest you take a day or two to think about what is being asked and talk it through with someone you can really trust.
Contacted by a friend or relative but on an unusual number?
Fraudsters may contact you posing as a close friend or relative but on a temporary number, often with a story about losing their phone, bank cards etc. A request to send some urgent funds would normally follow. Always be vigilant and try to contact the person using established contact details.
Have you received a One Time Password (OTP)?
OTPs are an important part of online banking security. If you receive an OTP, use it only as directed by the app/website you are using and never disclose it to anybody else. If you receive an OTP and don’t know what it is for, it is possible that it may be as a result of a fraud attempt. You should contact your bank immediately on a number you know to be correct.
Sending money to someone you have never met?
Always ask yourself how well you truly know the person, how reliable they are and the validity of the reason for sending them money.
Paying for a service or making a purchase?
Always double check the bank details of the person you are paying by contacting them on a number you can trust. Fraudsters can intercept emails and invoices and change payment details. If you send money to a different account than the one you intended, it can be very difficult for us to recover it and you may lose your money.
Are you making an investment?
Before you make any payment, consider whether this opportunity is genuine. Scammers will do their homework and make it their business to know as much about you as possible and have convincing supporting documentation which is genuine in appearance. This does not mean the offer is genuine.
Are you amending payment details?
Fraudsters may contact you and ask you to change details of a saved payee. Always treat these instructions with a healthy scepticism.
Our Commitment to Cybersecurity
Our Commitment to Cybersecurity
At SG Kleinwort Hambros, we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of financial and personal data and to combatting fraudulent activities and cybercrime. We will continue to work with industry partners, our regulator, and law enforcement to tackle these and any future attempts of fraud.
Fraud Alerts
Fraud Alerts
Please note, if you believe you have been the victim of these or any other scam please contact your Private Banker immediately. If you are not a SGKH client, report the incident to your local law enforcement. In the UK, you can report the fraud to Action Fraud. They can be contacted on 0300 123 2040 or online: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/.
Fixed Rate Bond Investment Scam
We are aware of further scam communications where investment opportunities purporting to be from SG Kleinwort Hambros were emailed to several individuals. Promising ‘Tesco 6.00% P.A. fixed rate bonds’, interested individuals keen to find out more would then be encouraged to complete a form to open an account.
Victims of this type of fraud are at risk of disclosing their bank account and other sensitive details or worse, paying large amounts of money for investments that are non-existent.
The following email addresses and websites have been used to promote this scam. Please note however that as scams evolve, other names and contact details may emerge. This is not intended as a comprehensive list.
- advisor@kleinworthambros.uk.com
- advisor@kleinworthambros.bond
This is similar in nature to the Kleinwort Hambros ‘Clone Firm’ scam that came to our attention and was reported to the FCA and the Police in 2019. You can read more about that scam here www.fca.org.uk/news/warnings/kleinwort-hambros-sg-kleinwort-hambros-bank-limited-clone-fca-authorised-firm
New investment opportunities from SG Kleinwort Hambros will only be presented to you by a member of our Private Banking team. Genuine emails from us will always end with an ‘@kleinworthambros.com’ suffix.
If you have received an email or been approached with an offer similar to the above please report this by completing the ‘Report a Suspicious Activity’ form at the bottom of this page.
Other useful information:
KH 'Clone' Investment Scam
We are aware that fraudsters are carrying out an investment scam by cloning the details of SG Kleinwort Hambros, a genuine, regulated firm. This is an active and persistent scam being spread through emails, cold calls, and scam websites. The fraudsters have created what is known as a “clone firm”, which is typically part of a scam. The UK Financial Conduct Authority warning of the clone firm can be accessed here: Kleinwort Hambros / SG Kleinwort Hambros Bank Limited (clone) (clone of FCA authorised firm) | FCA
Please exercise vigilance if you have been approached to make an unsolicited investment. SG Kleinwort Hambros does not cold-call potential clients to sell investments and you will always have a face-to-face meeting before opening an account. If you are unsure about the credentials of the individual who has contacted you, or the authenticity of an investment opportunity, please speak to your bank first before releasing any funds. You can also learn how to protect yourself from scams here: How to avoid investment scams | FCA
If you think you have been a victim of this, or any other fraud, please report this to your local law enforcement. In the UK, you can report the fraud to Action Fraud. They can be contacted on 0300 123 2040 or online (https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/)
SG Kleinwort Hambros continue to work with industry partners, our regulator, and law enforcement to tackle this fraud.
Clone Firm Details
We understand that fraudsters have created websites offering attractive, high-yield investments. The fraudsters would contact members of the public either through cold-calling or through the use of contact information provided by the public on the scam websites. In some cases, the public may have received unsolicited emails.
Victims may be asked to send money to UK bank accounts to facilitate subscriptions to high-yield corporate bonds or other securities. The scam offering may include a high level of detail such as bogus coupon rates, management fees, and an internet link to a genuine investment. In some cases, the fraudsters may claim there is an urgent subscription deadline as a tactic to pressure the public to expedite a payment transfer. In other cases they may claim a specific bond is no longer available whilst offering a new investment opportunity to give the false impression of scarcity. The fraudsters may also send scam application forms bearing the logo of SG Kleinwort Hambros to mislead victims. They have also provided fake contract notes, marketing material and terms of business bearing the SG Kleinwort Hambros brand to add authenticity to the fraud.
The fraudsters may mix the details of our genuine firm with the clone firm and use the names of genuine SG Kleinwort Hambros staff along with false names. Other details such as email addresses, website addresses and phone numbers will be fake although at first may appear genuine as they bear a close resemblance to how the genuine details could appear.
The following details have been used as part of the scam. Please note this information is not exhaustive and fraudsters may change these details from time to time to evade recognition:
Names (Individuals claiming to represent SG Kleinwort Hambros):
Guy Waterhouse, Andrew Thomas, Rachel Armstrong, Michael Green
Addresses (the following addresses are no longer or have never been used by the genuine regulated firm SG Kleinwort Hambros Bank Ltd):
- SG House, 41 Tower Hill, London, EC3N 3SG
- 85 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 7LT
Telephone:
- 0203 286 7699
- 0207 183 0463
- 0207 183 8358
- 0203 290 9012
- 0207 193 8473
- 0207 193 8231
- 0207 097 4940
Email:
info@sghambros.co.uk, info@sgkleinworthambros.co.uk, info@kleinworthambross.co.uk, info@sghambro.co.uk
Inheritance Scams
We have been made aware of a scam targeting individuals mainly in the U.S. The scam victim is typically contacted by the supposed lawyer of a recently deceased relative advising they have claim to a large inheritance that is lodged with SG Kleinwort Hambros. The victim is then asked to provide personal information or to complete a form to proceed.
There may then follow a layer of email conversation between the lawyer and a representative from SG Kleinwort Hambros which is made available to the victim, leading them to believe that they have a legal claim to the inheritance. The scam is also often supported by fake documentation including Certificate of Deposit, Death certificate, Deed of Lodge, Bank Statement and Verification letter. At some point in the process the victim will be asked to make a payment to proceed further.
The scammers may use the names of genuine SG Kleinwort Hambros staff alongside false names. Other details such as email addresses, website addresses and phone numbers at first may appear genuine as they bear a close resemblance to how the genuine details could appear however upon closure inspection, they are also fake.
The following fake contact details have previously been used as part of the scam. Please note this information is not exhaustive and scammers may change these details from time to time to evade recognition.
Please note SG Kleinwort Hambros does not use any generic email such as Hotmail, mail.com, accountant.com or other similar providers.
- kleinworthambros@mail.com
- dh.kleinsworthambros@accountant.com
SG Kleinwort Hambros does not conduct business in this manner. If approached:
- DO NOT correspond with the sender of the original message(s)
- DO NOT disclose any personal information to the sender.
- DO NOT remit any funds to the sender or bank accounts advised by the sender.
- DO report the incident to the police or other local law enforcement. In the U.K. this is Action Fraud
- You can also report this or any other Fraud attempt by using the Report a Suspicious Activity form at the bottom of this screen.
SG Private Banking Switzerland Investment Opportunities
We are aware of a recent high-quality scam where investment opportunities purporting to be from another entity within the Société Générale group were emailed to several individuals, including some of our own clients. Promising ‘A Powerful Solution - Corporate Bond 6.252% AER’, interested individuals keen to find out more would then be encouraged to complete onboarding documentation to open an account and may even be contacted by telephone to discuss further. Eventually Settlement Instructions are received to send the funds to be ‘invested’ to a nominated bank account. At every stage of the process the scam is supported by documentation e.g. Terms & Conditions, Key Investor Information etc which is of a convincing quality but is also fake.
The following names and email addresses, all neither authorised or allowed by Société Générale have been used for promoting this scheme. Please note however that as scams evolve, other names and contact details may emerge. This is not intended as a comprehensive list.
Daniel Brennan
daniel.brennan@societe-generales.ch
corporate@societe-generales.co
onboarding@societe-generales.ch
settlements@societe-generales.ch
New investment opportunities from Kleinwort Hambros and other members of the Société Générale group will only be presented to you by a member of your Private Banking team. Any unsolicited investment proposal should be treated with caution and discussed with your Private Banker. Genuine emails from us will always end with an ‘@kleinworthambros.com’ suffix.
If you have received an email or other communication fitting the above description, please contact your Private Banker immediately.
Cash Machine/ATM Fraud
Criminals use a variety of methods to target cash machines, including card skimming, when they fit a small device in the slot of the ATM or use a concealed device to capture your PIN. They may also use a technique called card trapping; when a device is fitted to the card slot to stop your card being returned to you.
Entrapment devices: Inserted into the card slot in a cash machine, these devices prevent the card from being returned to the cardholder. To capture the PIN, the criminal will use a small camera attached to the machine and directed at the PIN pad, or they will watch it being entered by the cardholder. Once the customer leaves the machine, the criminal removes the device and the card and uses it to withdraw cash.
Skimming devices: These devices are attached to the cash machine to record the details from the magnetic strip of a card, while a miniature camera captures the PIN being entered. A fake magnetic stripe card is then produced and used with the genuine PIN to withdraw cash at machines overseas which have yet to be upgraded to Chip and PIN.
Shoulder surfing: A technique used by criminals to obtain PINs by watching over the cardholder’s shoulder when they are using an ATM or card machine. The criminal then steals the card using distraction techniques or pickpocketing.
Trusted Family Members Scam (‘Hi Mum/Dad’ Scam)
A family member or friend contacts you via text, WhatsApp or similar messaging app, in some distress on an unfamiliar number. The message will typically start with saying the sender has lost their phone, it's damaged or they can't access it.
The fraudsters will mostly go on to ask you for money by pointing out an imaginary difficult financial situation they’re in and playing on the close relationship you have to the person they’re impersonating. The bank details they give will probably not match those of your loved one and it's likely the scammer will tell you it's because they can't access their bank account.
If you receive a message like this don't be tempted to transfer money immediately, enquire further by asking who specifically it is by name and by calling them or asking for a voice note. WhatsApp has warned that its users should ensure that two-factor authentication is set up on their account and never to share their six-digit pin code with others.
Report a Suspicious Activity
If you suspect fraud, have any concerns about the credentials of an individual who has contacted you, or the authenticity of an investment opportunity, please speak to your Private Banker first before releasing any funds. Alternatively you can get in contact using the form below. If you have unfortunately been the victim of any kind of fraud, please report this to Action Fraud. They can be contacted on 0300 123 2040 or online: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/. If you are based outside of the UK please report the incident to your local law enforcement.