FNB Hit By Fraudsters

  • Customers advised to be vigilant
  • FNBB ATM’s at Gaborone Main mall, River Walk and Rail Park suspected to have spy cameras that record customer’s pins

TSHIAMO TABANE

First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB) has been hit by cases of fraud where its customers were swindled of undisclosed amounts of money, reportedly through card skimming.
Criminals reportedly skimmed an undisclosed number of FNBB customers’ bank cards and withdrew undisclosed amounts of cash from their accounts over the weekend.
FNBB customers who lost their money through the fraud have expressed fear that their money at FNBB bank accounts are not safe and suspected that criminals could have installed spy cameras that record pins for bank cards at FNBB ATM’s located at busy places such as Gaborone Main mall, River Walk and Rail Park.
One of the customers Latifa Pule who alerted customers, via Facebook indicated that the criminals target busy ATMs. “Please tell your family not to cash at Main mall, Riverwalk and Kgale FNB and Rail Park. ATMs at the places apparently have skimming devices. People’s money is at risk,” said Pule. Some customers expressed concern regarding FNBB security measures at ATMs saying after entering pin, there should be confirmation via an sms sent to a registered mobile number registered for cell phone banking or follow up questions such as customer’s favourite food. Another customer Mbiganyi Machinya suggested that to minimize fraud, FNBB should provide an option that allows customers to deactivate bank cards through cell phone banking.
In a recent statement FNBB indicated that it was aware of suspicions transactions which took place in accounts of some of its customers over the weekend and warned other customers to be cautious. Without disclosing measures which are being implemented to stop the fraud, the bank noted that its staff are taking corrective action. Although the bank did not divalge the amount withdrawn, it is said 359 of its 525 000 customers have been affected. Consumer Watchdog Director Richard Harriman explained that it is possible that criminals skimmed either by looking over customers shoulders while they entered their pin numbers at ATMs or simply installed tiny cameras in ATMs. Other suspicions are that criminals may have also installed number pads where people may bave punched pins unwittingly. “They have some devices that they insert on ATMs to capture information. I would say keypad, camera, card entrance which will then be consolidated. They target busy ATMs where they know they would get much information,” said Keenetswe David one of FNBB customers.
Some customers have suggested that CCTV footage from ATMs where customers were defrauded be released to verify the modus operandi of the criminals.