In the past, bank robbers were brazen. They used weapons and physical intimidation to instill fear into staff, security guards and any customers who were in the branch.

These days, stealing money is more sophisticated, although scare tactics and instilling fear in victims remain the same. In the digital age, the banking system's weakest link is the customers themselves who provide their Personal Identity Numbers (PINs). Once a customer has disclosed their PIN to anyone, they are compliant in providing fraudsters to gain access to their account, and with it, all their hard-earned cash.

Bank Windhoek wants to remind the public that PINs are the last line of defence to their accounts and that fraudsters use social engineering to gain control over their bank account.

What is social engineering?
Social engineering is a sophisticated tool that skilled fraudsters use to defraud customers of their money. For example, they infiltrate closed Facebook groups, posing as individuals who invest money at high returns, offering business unrealistic opportunities.

They also use the telephone directory, where victims have their landline and mobile telephone numbers and physical addresses listed. Fraudsters quote these as part of the process to make victims feel more secure about whom they are talking to.

Scammers often contact their intended victim over a few days or months, posing as financial and investment brokers or bank employees, gaining the victim's trust a little bit every time, throwing in some personal details from the previous call. The fraudster is artfully getting you to let down your guard and start sharing bits of information. You are sent an SMS of a fake transaction notification. You are then called by the “bank” and pressurised to divulge your PIN to prevent more money from disappearing from your account. Take a good look at the SMS notification number from which the SMS comes.

As a safety measure, only trust the following Bank Windhoek SMS notification numbers. They are “29462” for transactions and “140295” for EasyWallets and IBank notifications. Be suspicious of other SMS notification numbers, also known as gateways. If these numbers do not match, end the call immediately and contact your branch or the Customer Contact Centre at 061 299 1200 to report the incident.

What happens when one is defrauded?
Bank Windhoek will guide our clients through a specific process. The first step in the process is to register a criminal case with the Namibian Police. After that, the process becomes a criminal matter, and the Namibian Police investigates these cases. During this phase of the process, the Bank must comply with section 85 of the Banking Institutions Act, 2023, always assuring clients of confidentiality regarding their cases.


Bank Windhoek’s Forensic Services
Manager, Johnny Truter