Openbank warns customers about Bizum payment scams in Spain

Santander's subsidiary bank warns of a new type of scam involving the Spanish payment service Bizum, which mostly take place on second-hand platforms

Isabel Méndez

Málaga

Friday, 14 March 2025, 10:54

Openbank, a subsidiary of Banco Santander, has warned its customers about a new scam that uses Spanish mobile payment service Bizum. The fraudulent operations mostly take place in message exchanges on second-hand platforms, where the cybercriminals ask for your mobile number to send you money, but end up sending a request for a payment.

The use of Bizum for scams is not surprising, as the payment service has become an almost everyday tool in Spain. Its immediacy and convenience have led to an increase in the number of users, mainly individuals but also traders and other businesses, as more and more entities accept payments through it. This also makes it the perfect tool for cybercriminals, who like to pose as an ordinary member of the public.

Now, scammers have started to pose as buyers interested in acquiring products offered on second-hand platforms. They ask their target for a phone number to make a first payment via Bizum. What they actually do is send a request for a payment to the seller, under the pretence that their Bizum is different. If the vendor accepts the request, they end up being the one that sends the money to the scammer.

Openbank reminds the public that it is important to check every notification in your mobile banking app before accepting any transaction. It also advises strongly against sharing your phone number with strangers without first verifying their identity.

Second-hand platforms usually have protection mechanisms for both the buyer and the seller, so it is recommended that all payments are made through the application itself. As for how Bizum works, the service does not require anything from the recipient of a payment for the transfer to take place.

In case of doubt or if you have been the victim of a fraud attempt, you can contact Openbank and report the case to ayuda@openbank.es

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