A good friend of mine got scammed badly this week, by guys trying to access his FNB internet banking, and clean out his bank account.
If you bank with FNB and use their internet banking you will know they use SMS to alert you and send you a PIN every time you log in. Last week he received an SMS, without logging on. So he called FNB and told them to freeze everything.
On Thursday he received an SMS from Vodacom, saying they have processed with his requested SIM SWAP, and that it should be active in a few hours.
He called Vodacom and asked what was happening. It turned out, these guys had created a fake letterhead complete with spelling & grammar errors, taken it into a Vodashop, with a temporary drivers license, and requested to a SIM swap for a new Sim. Vodacom happily obliged, and did the swap.
Yesterday he went into Vodacom and asked what had happened. Turns out the guy had been there 20 minutes before, to enquire why the Sim was not active yet.
Apparently there is a HUGE syndicate, and these guys follow every move. Their favorite trick is to stand behind you when you use the Internet banking terminal INSIDE the bank, and film you on a cellphone camera.
Be sure to keep an eye out when using your internet banking. Don’t use internet banking in a public WIFI spot. If you get an SMS from your service provider, ensure you actually requested it, and if not act immediately.
Comments
6 responses to “New Internet Banking scam”
Thanks for sharing.
Its crazy how people get scammed these days at banks while drawing cash.
Today is the first working day after the attempted scam and not one phone call from anyone…… Chief Risk Manager for Vodacom just called after reading this blog, thanks to Marc Forrest’s blogging powers. Vodacom forensic dept will call tomorrow to get details.
Nearly a week after all this has taken plac and i still havent heard a word from FNB regarding this attempted scam. FNB obviously doesnt care about anything that happens to its customers. Vodacom has repronded and asured me that they will keep me informed with their ongoing invesigation…..
Has to be Nigerians! – saw this on Opera;P!
thanks for the alert i like using internet banking in public
VERY RIGHT-NO BANK GIVES A CRAP ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS IN ANY REGARD-IN FACT I THINK MOST SCAMS COMES FROM BANK EMPLOYEES THEMSELVES.