If you see this message, it means that your mobile device contains app(s) that are not downloaded from official app stores and has ‘Accessibility’ settings turned on. This may give scammers control of your device.

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted.
 

How to restore access:​

You can do the following actions:​

•  Delete the listed apps from your device (recommended)​
•  Or turn off 'Accessibility permissions' for the detected software​

Find out more about malwares here​

If you see this message, it means that screen-sharing or mirroring is taking place on your device. This may be a sign of a malware attack. 

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted while screen-sharing or mirroring is going on.
 

How to restore access:

You can do the following actions:

• Stop screen-sharing if you are doing so
• Or restart your device
• Or delete the listed software from your device

Find out more about screen-sharing here

If you see this message, it means that your device is likely infected with known malware applications, or is jailbroken or rooted. Jailbroken or rooted devices pose a higher risk of unauthorized access, potential compromising the safety of personal data and your banking accounts. 

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted.
 

How to restore access:

You can restore the device to its original factory settings.

Find out more about jailbroken or rooted (modified) device here
 

If you see this message, it means that your device is likely infected with known malware applications. This may give scammers remote control of your devices and can lead to unauthorised access to sensitive information and enable scammers to perform fraudulent transactions.

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted.
 

How to restore access:

You can do the following actions:

• Delete the listed apps from your device
• Or scan your device and delete suspicious apps
• Or restore your device to its original factory settings

Find out more about malwares here

If you see this message, it means that your DBS IDEAL app has been tampered with and unauthorised modifications were made to the app. This could allow scammers control of your devices to make fraudulent transactions or to steal information.

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted.
 

How to restore access:

You can do the following actions:

• Restart your device
• Or remove DBS IDEAL app, and reinstall it from an official app store

Find out more about damaged DBS IDEAL app here

If you see this message, it means that your device’s developer mode/options is switched on. This may allow scammers to bypass security measures and reach your sensitive information or gain access to your banking apps.

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted.
 

How to restore access:

You can turn off developer mode in the settings, if you're the one using it.

Find out more about developer mode here

If you see this message, it means that your device is likely infected with known malware applications or has screen overlay mode switch on. Scammers can use screen overlay mode record your screen or bypass security measures and gain access to your sensitive data or access your banking apps and make fraudulent transactions.

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted.
 

How to restore access:

Go to settings to turn off the permission for overlay (also known as 'Apps that can appear on top' or 'Draw over other apps’).

Find out more about screen overlay here

If you see this message, it means that your DBS IDEAL app is running in a virtual environment or another workspace. Virtual environments can hide malicious activities from users and even from security software. This may give scammers remote control of your devices and can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information and enable scammers to perform fraudulent transactions.

To safeguard your banking account, access to DBS IDEAL app will be restricted.
 

How to restore access:

You can do the following actions:

• Reinstall the DBS IDEAL app from an official app store. Do not clone or import it into a separate workspace or virtual environment.
• Or restore your device to its original factory settings

Find out more about the threats of running DBS IDEAL app in virtual environment here

DBS IDEAL app has a security feature to detect if your mobile device is likely to be infected with malware. The feature uses information from government agencies to detect potential security threats. DBS IDEAL app does not and is not able to access users’ personal information or monitor device activities. It can only detect the presence of malware on your device and alert you to it.

If you see the threat message (pop-up), it means that your mobile device has likely been compromised – either mobile threats or malwares have been detected on your device, or your device is jailbroken or rooted which makes it more susceptible to viruses and malware. ​

To keep your banking account safe and secure, we are temporarily restricting access to the DBS IDEAL app. This means that you won't be able to use the app to log in to your account or perform any transactions. ​

We advise you to follow the on-screen instructions to secure your mobile device as soon as possible. You must do so in order to be able to safely use DBS IDEAL app again.​

No. With the rise in malware-related scams and attacks, this is a mandatory security feature that has been put in place to safeguard your banking accounts and monies.

Your privacy matters to us. The anti-malware tool does not monitor device activity, nor does it collect or store any personal data. Learn more about our privacy policy.

While this security feature can detect malware activity with a high degree of accuracy, no security feature is foolproof. As scammers become more sophisticated in their operations, we encourage customers to play their part to form a strong multi-layered defence.

To remain vigilant, be careful of the type of apps you install and the permissions you enable on your mobile device. Check out our Security Alerts webpage to be aware of the latest security threats.

Scammers employ social engineering tactics and fake advertisements on social media platforms and e-commerce websites. They often offer enticing deals for products and services. This can include popular foods like durian and seafood or services like food catering, pet grooming, home cleaning and aircon maintenance.

Victims are then tricked into clicking on a web link to download an app that is not from the official Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

When the malware app is installed, scammers will have access to control your device remotely and may use this ability to steal your personal and banking credentials. They can even log in to your DBS IDEAL account and perform transactions without your knowledge.

• Device is operating slower than usual
• Apps are taking longer to load
• Battery drains faster than expected
• Seeing a lot of pop-up ads
• Device has unfamiliar apps that you do not recognise
• Unexplained increase in data usage
• Higher than expected phone bills

You may have downloaded malicious apps via unverified links in text messages, social media, or third-party websites instead of official sources like Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Cyber security experts advise these steps to secure your mobile device:

1. Disconnect your mobile device from the internet. Turn off WiFi and mobile data, or turn on Airplane Mode or Safe Mode, so scammers cannot access your mobile device through the malicious app
2. Go through your list of installed apps. Look for anything suspicious:
   •   Apps not downloaded from the official app store
   •   Apps you do not recognise or do not recall downloading
   •   Suspicious apps with generic names, wrong spellings, or unauthorised app store icons
3. Delete such apps from your mobile device

You may need to do a factory reset of your mobile device. And as your credentials could have been accessed by scammers through the malware, you should reset all your passwords.

If you spot suspicious activity in your DBS IDEAL account such as unauthorised transactions, call our DBS BusinessCare hotline to report it immediately at the contact details provided above for your location.

More information from the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore can be found here.

For more detailed steps, please refer to your device manufacturer: Android

To keep your banking account safe and secure, we are temporarily restricting access to the DBS IDEAL app. This means that you won't be able to use the app to log in to your account or perform any transactions.​

We understand that this may be inconvenient, but we're taking this step to protect your account from unauthorised access. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

‘Accessibility’ settings, like text-to-speech, provide user interface enhancements that make it easier for users with disabilities to navigate a mobile device. However, cyber criminals are abusing these settings to control the device remotely or steal sensitive information.

Here are the steps to change 'Accessibility’ settings for some popular device brands.​

• Samsung: Settings > Accessibility > Installed Apps​
• Oppo: Settings > Additional Settings (or System Settings) > Accessibility​
• Google: Settings > Accessibility​

The steps to turn off an app’s ‘Accessibility’ may differ by device model. For detailed instructions, we recommend consulting your device manufacturer's documentation or support resources.​

• Google Play Store
• Samsung Galaxy Store
• Huawei App Gallery
• Xiaomi MI App Store
• Amazon Appstore
• Vivo V-Appstore
• Oppo App Market

• Because it probably is! Scammers have been offering fake, attractive deals like extremely cheap iPhones or durians, and very low prices for services like cleaning or pet grooming. Such scams are often found in website ads, emails, text messages, or on WhatsApp.
• Once you click on the ad or contact the seller, you may be asked to download unfamiliar, harmful apps to make payment. That’s how your device gets infected with malware.

• When downloading mobile apps, only use trusted sources like the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. These app stores have measures in place to reduce your risk of installing harmful apps.
• Even on official stores, always check the descriptions, reviews, and ratings of apps to make sure they're trustworthy. Avoid downloading apps from third-party websites, emails, text messages, or social media.

• Whenever an app you install asks for permissions, take a moment. If it asks for accessibility permissions, full control over your device, or access to sensitive information like your text messages and emails that it does not need, it could be a warning sign of a malicious threat
• For example, a shopping app should not be asking for access to your contact list, camera, or photos. Such permissions can allow a scammer to get full control of your device
• Consider using a reputable mobile security software to protect your device. Such software can help detect and block any harmful apps and alert you to potential risks

DBS IDEAL app detects both intentional sharing by the user and any unauthorised screen-sharing initiated by potential malware app(s). 

• If you are screen-sharing (example, CarPlay, casting screen to TV, through meeting software calls): Simply stop screen-sharing. Once you do so, access to DBS IDEAL app will be automatically restored.
• If you are not screen-sharing but DBS IDEAL app detects that there are apps on your device are screen-sharing: Delete the apps identified to be screen-sharing from your mobile device.
• If you have done above steps, but access to DBS IDEAL app is still restricted: This may be a sign of an ongoing malware attack. Please immediately contact our DBS BusinessCare hotline during business hours or email us.

Screen overlay is a feature that allows apps to draw on top of other apps. This can be useful for things like displaying chat heads, drawing over images, or providing accessibility features.

For example, some Messenger apps use screen overlay to display chat heads, which are small circular icons that appear on top of other apps. This allows you to quickly access your messages without having to open the Messenger app.

Screen overlay can also be used for malicious purposes. For example, malware can use screen overlays to access devices through a technique often referred to as “overlay attacks”. A user might be tricked into granting the malware special permissions and it will create an overlay screen that mimics the appearance of a legitimate app. This overlay will appear over the actual screens, deceiving users as it captures sensitive information, such as your credentials and banking details, and even perform fraudulent transactions.

It's important to be aware of the dangers of screen overlay and to only grant permission to apps that you trust. If you're not sure whether or not an app is trustworthy, it's best to be cautious and deny it permission to use screen overlay.​

To check which apps have permission to use screen overlay on your Android phone, go to Settings, look for Special app access > Display over other apps (also known as 'Apps that can appear on top' or 'Draw over other apps’)​

If you see any apps that you don't recognise or that you don't trust, you can tap on them and then tap "Deny" to revoke their permission to use screen overlay.

Jailbreaking (for Apple devices) or rooting (for Android devices) means removing the software restrictions put in place by device manufacturers. Some users do this so they can install third-party software from unofficial sources.

Your device’s manufacturer sets limitations so you can only use software that is verified, safe and legal. By jailbreaking or rooting and downloading unofficial apps, it:

• gives malicious apps and their creators, possibly scammers, a back door into your phone and private data
• voids the warranty of your device
• can damage your device and make it faulty or unstable
• weakens your device security
• may be illegal if you download software that infringes on copyright laws

You may wish to perform a factory reset on your device. If this does not work, you may need to setup your DBS IDEAL app on another mobile device which has not been jailbroken or rooted.

App modifications are changes made to the original code of an app. This could result in damage to the device or make the app unusable. Malicious apps can also disguised as modified apps in order to trick users into installing them.

A damaged or modified DBS IDEAL app is unsafe because it could contain malware or other malicious code. Malware is software that is designed to damage or disable a computer system or to steal data from it. Malicious code can be hidden in apps, and it can be very difficult to detect.

If you install a damaged or modified DBS IDEAL app, the malware could gain access to your personal information and other sensitive data. The malware could also send this information to malicious actors, who could use it to steal your money or your identity.

In addition, a damaged or modified DBS IDEAL app could also be used to bypass security measures and gain access to your banking account. This could allow criminals to make fraudulent transactions.

It's important to only install apps from official app stores, such as the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. You should also be careful about downloading apps from third-party websites, as these apps may not be safe.

If your DBS IDEAL app is damaged or modified, you should restart your device or uninstall DBS IDEAL app immediately and install a fresh copy from an official app store.

Developer mode is a special mode on Android devices that gives you access to advanced settings and features that are not normally available to users. These settings can be used to troubleshoot problems, test apps, and develop new features.

Developer mode gives malicious actors access to advanced settings and features that could be used to compromise the security of the app. For example, a scammer could enable USB debugging, which would allow them to connect their device to a computer and use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to send commands and transfer files. This could be used to install malicious apps or to steal sensitive information from the device.

In addition, developer mode allows malicious actors to change the system settings, such as the animation speed and the screen timeout. This could be used to bypass security measures and gain access to banking information.

For these reasons, it is not recommended to use DBS IDEAL app in developer mode.

Look or search for Developer options in Settings to toggle it off.

A new kind of Android malware called FjordPhantom has been found spreading in Southeast Asia since September 2023. It uses fake apps and tricks people into giving away their banking information.

FjordPhantom spreads through email, text messages, and messaging apps. It prompts users to download what looks like their bank's app. However, the app is actually a modified version that runs in a virtual environment, allowing malicious actors to steal banking or sensitive information.

Reinstall the DBS IDEAL app from an official app store. Do not clone or import it into separate workspace or virtual environment. If this does not work, you may have to restore your device to its original factory settings.