HSBC Malta’s Online Banking system and application, as well as the bank’s phone lines were briefly offline after thousands of people on the island received a text message, coming from HSBC’s official number, stating:

Message received by thousands from HSBC

“We have sent you an important secure message. Please log in your HSBC Online Banking and check your inbox. Thanks.”

The message appeared genuine as it was communicated from the bank’s normal channels, however the poorly written text, together with the bank’s systems going offline, have left many to speculate that it was hacked.

However, a well-informed source within HSBC Bank Malta informed this newsroom that the message did indeed originate from the bank and was sent to “a lot of people”, causing the HSBC’s online banking systems to become overloaded and crash. The source added that contrary to what people are saying, the bank was not hacked.

On hour after the issue occurred, HSBC wrote on social media to update customers about the issue:

Earlier

A phone call to the bank’s customer care number said that it is experiencing a higher number of calls than is usual, indicating the number of people who got in touch.

After receiving the text message, many attempted to log into the bank’s online banking application but found that the landing page informed them that they have been logged out, asking them to ‘logon’ again, another indication that the bank’s services could have indeed been hacked.

Related

Malta’s youth population down by 15,000 in 10 years: What does this mean for the labour market?

July 7, 2025
by Nicole Zammit

'The challenge today goes beyond attracting talent – it’s about retaining it'

MBB urges caution over EU’s 2040 climate targets, citing risks for Maltese businesses

July 7, 2025
by BN Writer

'The proposed target presents both opportunities and challenges'

db Foundation raises €8,419 for Karl Vella Foundation with MasterChef Malta Charity Dinner

July 4, 2025
by BN Writer

These events form part of the db Foundation's ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable members of society through impactful initiatives