HKMA warns of fraudulent website related to Mastercard: payment-brand impersonation risks for business staff

On 30 September 2026, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority alerted the public to a Mastercard press release concerning a fraudulent website reported to the HKMA. This is a website-impersonation warning: the announcement does not state that Mastercard's own systems were compromised.

What does the official warning identify? The announcement lists hxxps[:]//masternbeg[.]com. The official defanged format is preserved for identification only; do not reconstruct or visit the address. The warning concerns a particular reported website and should not be interpreted as a claim that all Mastercard payment channels are unsafe.

Why does this matter to businesses? For staff handling online payments, procurement and supplier messages, a familiar payment-brand name or webpage appearance does not establish authenticity. Avoid submitting personal information or account credentials solely through links in messages, and verify suspicious requests through independently obtained official contact channels. This is general risk-management guidance, not a new statutory business procedure imposed by this announcement.

Where should affected people seek help? The HKMA advises anyone who provided personal information or account credentials, or conducted financial transactions through or in response to the website, to contact the relevant retail payment system operator and report to the Police, or contact the Police's Anti-Deception Coordination Centre at 18222.

This article does not speculate about victim numbers, losses or whether the website remains operational. Businesses can use the alert to reinforce payment and procurement staff awareness, without implying a security incident in the payment brand's own systems.

Source: HKMA announcement issued through Government press releases, 30 September 2026. Checked as at 2 October 2026.

Disclaimer: General information only; not legal, financial or professional cybersecurity advice.