BabuK
JF-Expert Member
- Jul 30, 2008
- 1,845
- 329
One of the victims of Automated Teller Machines cash theft scam counted three weeks yesterday without any relief or clue as to when she would be refunded her money and access her account.
"I have no access to my account since my ATM smart card was swallowed' by one of the ATM machines of the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) on December 22, last year. I have not got my debit card back until today. I have been to the bank to follow up on the fate of my card without any success," she said, adding that the first time she was told that her card "is nowhere to be seen."
She said after logging her complaints on December 24 last year, she was told that the Bank would contact her after two weeks. She went back to the bank after a week to check progress in tracing the card and was provided with letters stating that the management had received the complaint and as working on it.
"The letters also indicated that the Bank was addressing the matter and progress would be communicated to me not later than January 10, this year," the customer said.
The customer said that come January 10, the bank did not communicate to her, so she decided to visit her bank branch yesterday to know whether there was any progress, only to learn that the contact person she was referred to was on leave. She was directed to go to another bank attendant who assisted her by checking her account to see whether the money has been refunded, but the account was empty.
"The bank attendant advised me to call the Contact Centre using the numbers which have been indicated on top of the ATM machines to inform them about my problem. After calling I was told that they have received the complaint and they were working on it," said the customer.
"We have received your complaint. We are working on it and we will communicate to you", said one bank official in customer care unit through telephone, without giving a date.
"I am facing financial difficulties, because of the loss of my salary and the money I had saved. I had no spare money elsewhere except in my bank account… this refund process is cumbersome … for how long should I wait to get my money back, she complained.
She added: "I had important commitments to fulfill including paying school fees for my children, but I failed because I have no money... although the matter is being investigated, the bank has also to think of the victims of the cyber crime by speeding up the investigation process."
Thefts through the ATMs in the country have left a number of bank customers fearing for the safety of their money and set financial institutions cracking heads for a solution.
A number of customers from different financial institutions have complained of finding money withdrawn from their accounts through the ATMs, transactions they say they did not execute, leaving them with unanswered questions as to how safe their money was in the banks.
A customer complained of his money being withdrawn from the account and never being refunded.
He said he went to an ATM to make a withdrawal, only to learn that his account had apparently been credited with money that exceeded the actual amount he had as his last balance.
What is more he was unable to withdraw the amount he needed from the machine, despite having adequate balance in the account.
He said the following day he went to the bank to report the problem and only to learn that in fact all the money in his account had been withdrawn.
Another customer in Dodoma who was also affected by the cyber crime suspects a foreign link in the thefts, noting: "In the recent cyber thefts from bank customers' accounts in Dodoma and Dar, the statement [showed it was] done by International ATM card. Also, this International ATM card was withdrawing money to the tune of 438,618/72 while our banks here in Tanzania limit each single withdrawal to the maximum 400,000/-."
The customer rejects the passing of the blame for the thefts onto customers, noting that as a result of the electronic thefts, some of the banks have introduced anti-skimming devices, asking: "Should this be the customer's mistake?"
The customer has complained about the cumbersome refund process, saying the victims need their money to meet pressing needs, such as school fees for children returning to school.
An official from one of the largest bank in the country admitted having trouble with customers whose accounts were tempered with.
He said that ATM thefts also known as card skimming is a critical problem facing a number of financial institutions in the country, especially in Dar es Salaam.
It was creating a burden for the banks since they were forced to refund customers the stolen money.
"This crime is being committed by people who are yet to be identified…. Bankers Association is working on modalities to protect customers," the official said.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
"I have no access to my account since my ATM smart card was swallowed' by one of the ATM machines of the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) on December 22, last year. I have not got my debit card back until today. I have been to the bank to follow up on the fate of my card without any success," she said, adding that the first time she was told that her card "is nowhere to be seen."
She said after logging her complaints on December 24 last year, she was told that the Bank would contact her after two weeks. She went back to the bank after a week to check progress in tracing the card and was provided with letters stating that the management had received the complaint and as working on it.
"The letters also indicated that the Bank was addressing the matter and progress would be communicated to me not later than January 10, this year," the customer said.
The customer said that come January 10, the bank did not communicate to her, so she decided to visit her bank branch yesterday to know whether there was any progress, only to learn that the contact person she was referred to was on leave. She was directed to go to another bank attendant who assisted her by checking her account to see whether the money has been refunded, but the account was empty.
"The bank attendant advised me to call the Contact Centre using the numbers which have been indicated on top of the ATM machines to inform them about my problem. After calling I was told that they have received the complaint and they were working on it," said the customer.
"We have received your complaint. We are working on it and we will communicate to you", said one bank official in customer care unit through telephone, without giving a date.
"I am facing financial difficulties, because of the loss of my salary and the money I had saved. I had no spare money elsewhere except in my bank account… this refund process is cumbersome … for how long should I wait to get my money back, she complained.
She added: "I had important commitments to fulfill including paying school fees for my children, but I failed because I have no money... although the matter is being investigated, the bank has also to think of the victims of the cyber crime by speeding up the investigation process."
Thefts through the ATMs in the country have left a number of bank customers fearing for the safety of their money and set financial institutions cracking heads for a solution.
A number of customers from different financial institutions have complained of finding money withdrawn from their accounts through the ATMs, transactions they say they did not execute, leaving them with unanswered questions as to how safe their money was in the banks.
A customer complained of his money being withdrawn from the account and never being refunded.
He said he went to an ATM to make a withdrawal, only to learn that his account had apparently been credited with money that exceeded the actual amount he had as his last balance.
What is more he was unable to withdraw the amount he needed from the machine, despite having adequate balance in the account.
He said the following day he went to the bank to report the problem and only to learn that in fact all the money in his account had been withdrawn.
Another customer in Dodoma who was also affected by the cyber crime suspects a foreign link in the thefts, noting: "In the recent cyber thefts from bank customers' accounts in Dodoma and Dar, the statement [showed it was] done by International ATM card. Also, this International ATM card was withdrawing money to the tune of 438,618/72 while our banks here in Tanzania limit each single withdrawal to the maximum 400,000/-."
The customer rejects the passing of the blame for the thefts onto customers, noting that as a result of the electronic thefts, some of the banks have introduced anti-skimming devices, asking: "Should this be the customer's mistake?"
The customer has complained about the cumbersome refund process, saying the victims need their money to meet pressing needs, such as school fees for children returning to school.
An official from one of the largest bank in the country admitted having trouble with customers whose accounts were tempered with.
He said that ATM thefts also known as card skimming is a critical problem facing a number of financial institutions in the country, especially in Dar es Salaam.
It was creating a burden for the banks since they were forced to refund customers the stolen money.
"This crime is being committed by people who are yet to be identified…. Bankers Association is working on modalities to protect customers," the official said.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
