The Ghana Association of Banks (GAB) is warning the general public to refrain from sharing their Ghana card, Visa card, or debit card with individuals who pose as bank staff over digital platforms such as WhatsApp or E-mails.
To avoid fraud and scams, bank customers are advised by GAB to abstain from providing images of objects that disclose bank account details and identity numbers.
“Never send a picture of your Ghana Card or any of your bank’s cards, such as debit, Visa, and Mastercard, via WhatsApp to anyone purporting to be from your bank. If in doubt, contact your bank or Relationship Manager directly,” the Association stated.
The Bank of Ghana has previously instructed banks to strengthen their cyber security to stop the spread of fraudulent activities within the banking industry. Public assurances about tighter security to reveal such crimes have also been heightened by the banks. However, the public is encouraged to exercise caution and notify the relevant authorities of such unfamiliar incidents.
Fraudulent operations in the banking industry have increased recently, resulting in financial losses.
The call from GAB reinforces the statement by the Cyber Security Advisory (CSA) as regards the growing trend of online employment scams leading to the loss of over GHS 120,000 to fraudulent transactions with unidentified individuals.
Over GH₵124,000 lost through job scams – Cyber Security Authority reveals
The CSA reiterated that people must exercise caution regarding online job posting or part-time role advertisements that promise outrageous salaries yet expect minimal work, indicating that, “If it seems too good to be true, it’s likely a scam”.
Pacminer swindles close to 800k Ghanaians in online investment scheme
Meanwhile, recent reports have indicated that close to 800,000 Ghanaians were defrauded in an online investment scheme known as Pacminer. Over GHC 90,000 was lost through such fraudulent system with victims counting their losses.