The Banking Mohtasib of Pakistan (BMP) resolved over 5,500 customer complaints against commercial banks in the first quarter of 2023, recovering Rs. 209.15 million for aggrieved parties.

The BMP office received a significant increase in complaints with 7,833 new cases filed during the period, including over 2,100 complaints submitted via the Prime Minister’s Portal.

The Banking Mohtasib, Mr. Muhammad Kamran Shehzad, cautioned customers to be vigilant against evolving fraudulent tactics employed by scammers to steal savings.

Mr. Shehzad emphasized the importance of safeguarding personal and financial information. He advised customers to never share their OTP, passwords, credit/debit card details, or CNIC numbers over the phone, regardless of the caller’s apparent identity, including banks. He clarified that genuine bank helplines can only receive calls and stressed that calls appearing to originate from banks are likely scams.

Customers are urged to report any suspicious calls to their nearest bank branch or contact the legitimate bank helpline immediately.