Banking app can be a "phishing" scam


India's largest bank, State Bank of India, has a queer link on its Internet Banking website - "Genuine Applications !"

The need to put that odd anchor text  "Genuine Applications !" right on their home page creates an impression that there are unofficial or fraudulent apps out there.

The threat has been attempted and is real. This Wall Street Journal article recommends downloading "your bank's application through its own Web site. A legitimate application will require you to go through an authentication process to register your phone and create a user name and password. Alternatively, you could use your phone's browser to link directly to your bank's Web site, instead of downloading an application"

SBI's apps for some platforms are available in their respective App Store but some need to be downloaded from their website.

Where critical information is involved, just trusting that the mobile platform's Store has vetted the app may not be enough.

Also see: There is an app for that?

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