First National Bank (FNB) of Namibia yesterday advised clients to guard against becoming victims of fraudsters.
During a morning media briefing the bank noted that people simply fall prey to the scammers by unwittingly disclosing their private information in different ways.
Banking fraud is increasingly becoming of significant concern in Namibia, with a greater number of people losing substantial amounts of money through various schemes.
Executive for retail banking, Nangula Kauluma said the bank remains concerned about the way opportunistic criminals exploit customers to obtain critical information that enables them to steal from the unsuspecting members of the public.
Kauluma was addressing the increasing number of fraudulent activities and provided an update on the latest findings from a thorough internal investigation.
The domestic banking sector has lately been undergoing some challenges related to scammers robbing people of their hard-earned money straight from their bank accounts, which is supposed to be one of the most secure places for cash.
“Scammers create a fake sense of urgency; we are deeply concerned by the toll this is taking not only on our customers but also on the trust in the banking system. So, I advise customers to always take a breath, think, and verify with the bank whenever they receive a call asking for banking details. Just don’t share your details with anyone,” said Kauluma.
She also advised Namibians to avoid clicking on suspicious internet links or providing sensitive information via email or text messages.
“The controls in the bank are strong and robust. Criminals are constantly looking for victims. If someone offers you money to open a bank account please don’t do so because that is illegal,” she added.
Recently, a pensioner lost N$1.1 million after criminals gained access to her bank account transferred funds to multiple accounts. Additionally, scams involving fraudsters impersonating bank staff have targeted cellphone banking and eWallet users.
At yesterday’s briefing, Rodney Forbes, chief operating officer of the group assured clients that security in the bank is tight and up to standard, thus clients should play their part to safeguard their accounts.
“We put security as the top priority around systems in the bank. We make significant investments to ensure we protect our customers’ information and money,” said Forbes.
He also touched on the bank’s refund policy, saying after investigations they only refund clients if it is found that the bank was at fault when money was stolen. He also assured the bank’s clients that employees are not involved in any of these crimes because they are closely monitored and every transaction they make is recorded.