RECOGNIZING COMMON
SCAMS
How to Spot a Suspicious Text Message
Never share sensitive details: A legitimate bank or organization will never ask for your PIN, password, or OTP in a text, email, or call. If you receive such a request, it’s a scam.
Beware of links: Fraudulent texts may ask you to update your banking details or log in through a link. They can even appear in the same thread as genuine Belize Bank alerts, but this can be faked, so don’t trust it.
How to spot a suspicious email
Email scams can be very convincing and look real. Here are some signs to spot a fraudulent email.
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Generic greeting: The email is impersonal, addressing you as “Dear Sir/Madam” or even using your email address (e.g., “Dear yourname@address.com”).
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Suspicious sender: The sender’s email address doesn’t match the organization or website it claims to be from.
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Request for personal details: You’re asked to click a link to update or confirm your information.
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Urgency and pressure: The message stresses that something is urgent and requires immediate action.
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Unsafe links: Never click a link in an email that asks for your details. If in doubt, contact the company directly using a trusted phone number from their official website.
No one from Belize Bank, not even our fraud team, will ask you to give them your PIN or OTP (One Time Passcode). If someone requests this information over the phone, it is a fraud. Hang up and contact your nearest branch.
How to Recognize Telephone Scams
Telephone scams often involve fraudsters impersonating your bank, the authority, or another trusted organization. They may provide fake details, such as a crime reference number, and claim they need your help with a fraud case, or warn you of suspicious activity on your account.
Know that a genuine bank or organization will never contact you unexpectedly to ask for your PIN, full password, or OTP.
Please be cautious if a caller asks to access your device remotely. If they instruct you to download software so they can “fix,” “upgrade,” or “protect” your device, understand that this would give them full visibility of your information. You should never log in to Online Banking or any sensitive site while such software is active.
Criminals make you believe you're dealing with a genuine seller or company. They advertise on social media, genuine selling sites, create fake websites or hack genuine accounts.
Buying Scams
These scams can happen when you find something online that you want to buy. This could be a holiday, flights, concert tickets or building materials. Once you've paid, you lose contact with the seller. You may receive no goods, or goods that are different to those advertised.
Selling Scams
These scams can happen when you sell items online. You may send the goods as agreed and never receive payment. Or you may be tricked into returning an overpayment. The criminal may send you a cheque for more money than the value of the item being sold. They ask for the extra money to be transferred back or sent on to a third party, for example a ‘shipping agent’.
How can you spot them?
An item priced under the recommended selling value – does it sound too good to be true?
The seller makes extra effort in communication to push the sale through.
The buyer sends you more money than they need to pay for the item. They'll ask you to return the difference.
A seller you don’t know asks you to use ‘PayPal Friends & Family’ service or to pay for goods by bank transfer.
Facebook Marketplace is a great way to buy and sell locally. Be cautious when buying an item that you can’t see in person. The seller may be using a fake profile, buying this way is high risk.
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How can you protect yourself?
Even if there are no warning signs, we’d recommend that you consider:
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If buying from a reputable buying site such as eBay, Airbnb or Autotrader stick to the payment advice they provide. Use secure payment channels if they're offered. Never communicate outside the site.
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Always use secure payment methods where you can. PayPal (buying goods), debit and credit cards can offer more protection than bank transfer.
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Where possible view items in person before making payment. Never pay for large items like a car in advance.
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Be wary of accepting payment for goods by cheque.
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Never send personal or financial details by email. Emails can be intercepted.
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Research the seller and site and always read the reviews. Check several review sites and compare them. This helps rule out any fake reviews left by fraudsters.
If you suspect it, report it now:
Protect Yourself: Know the Different Forms of Card Fraud
Card fraud can occur in different ways, and understanding how it happens is the first step in protecting yourself. Here are the most common types of card fraud to watch out for:
Payment Card Fraud
This occurs when criminals steal your physical card or obtain your card details to access your money. Warning signs include unexpected transactions on your statement or suddenly exceeding your overdraft or credit limit.
Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud
Happens when criminals use stolen card details to make purchases online, over the phone, or by mail order, without needing the actual card.
Counterfeit Card Fraud
This involves creating a fake card using stolen magnetic stripe data. Criminals often use “skimming” devices attached to ATMs or card readers to copy your card’s information, which they then transfer onto a counterfeit card to make purchases.
Lost and Stolen Card Fraud
When a misplaced or stolen debit or credit card is used by criminals to withdraw cash or make purchases.
Card Identity Theft
Occurs when criminals use stolen personal information, such as your name, address, or other sensitive details, to take over your existing card account or open a new one in your name.
Digital Card Fraud
Fraudulent transactions made using the contactless feature of your card. In Belize, contactless payments are limited to BZ$500 per transaction, and any transaction above BZ$100 requires your signature and/or PIN.
