Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director of Retail Banking, Access Bank Plc
The management of Access Bank has again advised its customers to remain vigilant and beware of the common tricks used by fraudsters to rob them of their monies. Explaining that the activities of the fraudsters are on the rise across banks operating in the country, the Executive Director of Retail Banking, Victor Etuokwu, expressed concern about the growing number of fraud cases being reported.
Etuokwu appealed to customers to take more responsibility in safeguarding their funds and offered reassurance of the Bank’s commitment to providing information relevant to identifying and fending off fraudsters. He said, “Over the last few months, the number of reported fraud cases has spiked considerably. This is not unexpected as the current economic hardships experienced due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused many to be vulnerable. However, this trend has become very disturbing, while we urge customers to become more aware of the tactics employed by fraudsters. Access Bank will continue to educate customers on how to avoid falling victims as well as deploy resources to ensure the security of customers funds.
“The Bank has identified smishing, phishing, social engineering, and identity theft as the most common methods used by fraudsters. To aid the fight against this common enemy, we have put more power in the hands of our customers, through the *901*911# USSD code. We have provided a platform through which customers can immediately deactivate their USSD profile by dialling *901*911# from any phone in the event their mobile devices get lost or stolen,” he said.
Access Bank has remained committed to educating its customers, informing and protecting them from fraudsters. The Bank has created dedicated pages on its official website that constantly educate customers on the schemes and tricks employed by fraudsters.
Addressing the queries made by customers saying the fraudsters approached them disguising as the Bank’s staff, Etuokwu advised customers to be alert as Access Bank will never ask for personal information such PIN, BVN, 16-digit card number, CVV, Password, OTP or Authentication Code for the mobile banking app. “We urge our customers to ignore calls, text messages or emails requesting this personal information,” he concluded.
