With a number of people planning to go on holiday over the Easter period, Cellphone Banking becomes a convenient, simple and safe way of banking which is available 24/7. FNB advises its consumers to be extra vigilant of fraudulent scams where fraudsters will try to obtain information from them.
“Scammers are highly sophisticated, they are constantly creating new scams and customers need to be aware of these techniques so that they don’t fall victim to such scams,” says Ravesh Ramlakan, CEO of FNB Cellphone Banking.
One of the key safety features of FNB Cellphone Banking is its FREE inContact service. inContact allows customers to receive instant notification of any banking transactions over R100 that are conducted. Customers are advised to verify that their inContact service is working and that their personal details are correct.
These are the common fraud scams fraudsters typically use:
PHISHING
Phishing is a scam whereby customers are being tricked into exposing information via email.
How does Phishing work?
- The customer receives a phishing e-mail message or pop-up window that includes official-looking bank logos.
- The e-mail usually includes web links that encourage the customer to go the phishing site.
- In the e-mail the customer is requested to update their personal information, failing which their accounts will be blocked. The e-mails are also written as security alerts.
What should you do?
- NEVER access your account via a link or a saved page. Type in the website address www.fnb.mobi
- NEVER provide any personal banking details via email.
- IMMEDIATELY contact your bank should you suspect any fraudulent activity on your account.
SMISHING
Smishing is a scam whereby customers are being tricked into exposing information via SMS.
How does Smishing work?
- Fraudsters forward random SMS’s and wait for a response.
- Customers are sent SMS requesting personal banking information. The SMS usually suggests that the customers’ details have been compromised and that the bank needs the personal information to stop the fraud.
What should you do?
- NEVER respond to the number that is provided in the SMS. Contact FNB immediately.
- Save the FNB Cellphone Banking helpdesk number 0861 313 210 as a contact number on your cellphone.
- NEVER divulge personal information via SMS.
- If you suspect your safety has been compromised, contact the FNB Fraud Team on 011 632 2226 immediately.
VISHING
Vishing is a new scam whereby customers are called and tricked into divulging their information.
How does Vishing work?
- Fraudsters forward random SMS’s stating that a bank official will contact the customer to verify or update the customer’s details.
- Fraudster calls the customer claiming to be a bank official.
What should you do?
- NEVER entertain the call.
- Contact FNB immediately on 0861 313 210.
- NEVER divulge any information.
- The Bank will NEVER contact you to verify information such as PINS, Usernames or Passwords.
SIM SWAPS
Sim Swap fraud is a scam where the fraudster contacts the network operator and reassigns the cellphone number to a new SIM in order to gain access to confidential information, e.g. OTP (One Time Pin) SMS.
How does SIM Swap work?
- Fraudster contacts the customer’s network operator and reports the SIM as lost or stolen.
- The network operator would then activate a new SIM with the customer’s existing number and block the customer’s old SIM.
- The customer would no longer be able to use the existing SIM, i.e. the customer will not be able to make calls or receive SMS notifications.
- All subsequent communication e.g. inContact messages and OTP’s are sent to the new SIM.
What should you do?
- Should you no longer have access to your network, contact your operator to make sure that a SIM swap has not been done on your number.
- If a swap has occurred, contact FNB to ensure that the cellphone number is blocked on FNB’s system.
- If you suspect that a SIM swap has occurred, contact FNB’s Fraud Team on 011 632 2226 immediately.
CHANGE OF DETAILS
Update your cellphone number and Cellphone Banking profile frequently at your nearest FNB Branch or via the Cellphone Banking Help Desk by contacting 0861 313 210. You will need to first go through a verification process, for your safety, before any of your details can be updated.
In the unfortunate event that a customer’s account is breached, FNB conducts a thorough investigation and based on the outcome of the investigation, providing the customer had taken all the necessary safety and precautionary measures FNB then offers its customers a full money back guarantee.
FNB warns customers to:
- NEVER divulge any banking details i.e. account number, cellphone number, bank card number or any other banking information to anyone.
- NEVER disclose your ATM PIN or card details or Cellphone Banking PIN as well as your OTP (One Time Pin) to anyone, including FNB staff. FNB will never ask you to divulge your Cellphone Banking PIN.
- Never store your PIN on your cellphone.
- Select a new Cellphone Banking PIN at regular intervals.
“No banking facility will ever send an SMS or call a client requesting confidential information; or SMS a client regarding a problem with their account. Customers need to be aware of this, fraudsters are always using clever methods to entice customers into providing them with their personal banking information,” concludes Ramlakan
Safety Tips for Cellphone Banking Services:
- NEVER store your Cellphone Banking PIN or other PINs on your cellphone.
- NEVER disclose your Cellphone Banking PIN as well as the OTP (One Time Pin) to anyone, including FNB staff. FNB will NEVER ask you to divulge your Cellphone Banking PIN.
- Select a new Cellphone Banking PIN at regular intervals to decrease the risk of your Cellphone Banking PIN being compromised.
- NEVER divulge your ATM PIN and CARD details to ANYONE (this includes your family members).