The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ATM card

  • Nigerians react to excessive bank charges

    Nigerians across all walks of life have expressed concern over what they termed ‘extra charges’ they suffer from banks each time they withdraw money.

    They believe that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should as a matter of urgency stop the act by banks as it is negatively them

    It would be recalled that the Senate recently passed a resolution calling on the CBN to suspend the ATM card maintenance charges being deducted from customers.

    For Bolaji Sulaimon, an engineer, it is outrageous for banks to deduct excess charges from customers.

    In his words, “I think they need to stop this act because it is outrageous to deduct such money. For instance when you have 2000 naira in your account the moment you use the ATM (particularly if it’s not your bank)  65 naira is deducted from the money, you cannot even collect the  exact amount you need you will be left with less the amount you originally want to take. We are tired of this system. It just like they are milking us.”

    Azeez Adebukola, who is an architect, argues that banks should put up a technology that informs customers’ before-hand about these deductions, because he is the sole owner of the account. It is therefore wrong for banks to apply extra charges without informing him.

    “Well for me, I think it is a senseless idea. I think that I should be informed before any deduction is done on my account. I think the regulatory body should step in and stop this.”

    Isiaka Lawal, a technician said; “There is nobody that will be happy when you deduct money from his or her account unnecessarily. There are times that I have exactly 4000 naira and I need that exact amount to do something that is very important. The moment the bank deducts the ATM maintenance charges I have no choice than to take the amount left. So the government should help find a permanent solution to this challenge.”

    Read Also: Nine micro-finance banks lose licences in Niger

    A trader, Mrs. Abimbola Ogunbanwo, pleaded for governments’ intervention on this issue. She expressed constant pains as a result of this bank charges. “I feel very bad whenever they deduct my money, especially when I use the card for another bank. Most times you need money and your own bank ATM is not around your vicinity, at that moment you have no choice than to use the other bank and they will definitely deduct money. You however have no alternative.  I am using this opportunity to beg the government to find solution for us so we can withdraw from other banks automated teller machines without them deducting our money.

    Tawa Yakubu, a fashion designer shares a personal experience as regards bank charges.

    She said; “There was a day someone sent 2000 naira to me. It was not even up to a minute before my bank sent an alert that my balance is 1950 naira. I could not cry because I actually needed the exact amount the person sent so I think it high time they stop frustrating us.”

    On her part, a businesswoman, Mrs. Odeyemi Bamidele believes that the excessive charges by banks might be an order from government. “There was a day I went to my bank to complain they told me it was an order from the Federal Government that any transaction being made even with the ATM should attract charges. “So the government through the CBN should help us put an end to this,” she added

    Motunrayo Akinboye, a trader in Victoria Island corroborated Mrs Bamidele’s story. “For banks to be deducting any time you use the ATM is unfair. So, I feel they have to adjust and put a stop to it. They should stop these unnecessary deductions from customers.”

  • Man charged with stealing ATM card, N2,000 cash, phone

    A 29-year-old man, Lukmon Ajinike, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly hypnotising a woman and collecting her money and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card.
    He was hauled before Magistrate A.A. Adesanya on charges of attempted felony, conspiracy and stealing.
    Ajinike, who lives in Isheri-Idimu, pleaded not guilty and was granted N200,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.
    Prosecuting Inspector George Nwosu said the accused with a man still at large committed the offence last December 28 at 221 Road, Gowon Estate, Egbeda.
    He said the accused and his accomplice conspired to hypnotise a woman, Conteh Martie, collected her phone, N2,000 cash and ATM card.
    Nwosu said the accused accosted the complainant as she was leaving an ATM point at Idimu and forcefully collected her belongings.
    He said: “The accused followed the complainant from the ATM point to the bus stop to board a bus to her destination.
    “The accused stopped her and asked her to direct him to any health centre in the vicinity because he was ill.
    “As the complainant was trying to direct him, the accused’s friend came and touched the complainant’s shoulder and thereafter ordered her to follow the accused to the health centre.
    “The complainant obeyed and when they got to Gowon Estate, the accused ordered the complainant to surrender her money, phone and ATM card which she did without any hesitation.
    “The accused and his friend ordered the complainant to run to the nearest market to get them some sand.
    “As the complainant was going, she came back to her senses and raised the alarm. People who were around helped to purse them, but only the accused was arrested.”
    The offences contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
    The case was adjourned to January 23.

  • In Oyo, worry over ATM card scam heightens

    Automated Teller Machine (ATM) fraud in Oyo town has become a worrisome phenomenon. Some of the banks whose customers were affected appear helpless. The situation has seemingly made some customers become confused, as the number of those who are victims has increased of late.

    One of the victims of ATM card scam, Alhaji Wasiu Alaka, a customer with one of the new generation banks in Oyo alleged that his bank account was burgled and about N2 million was stolen via ATM withdrawals while he had his ATM card on him.

    Alhaji Alaka alleged that as at June 5, this year, he had N1.756, 048.56 in his account. Out of this amount, the sums of N1.5 million  was withdrawn in the following manner: N190, 000 through ATM Card, N940, 000 by transfer through POS, and another N346, 000 through another transfer by POS.

    “As at the time the money was purportedly withdrawn through ATM Card, I was in my bedroom and in possession of the ATM Card for that account. It was the next day when one Alarape Moshood paid a sum of N70, 000 into my account, after which I received an alert from the bank that money had been fraudulently withdrawn from my account.”

    He alleged that the Bank Manager was promptly contacted with evidence of the ATM alert on his (Alaka) mobile phone, as well as statement of account.

    According to him, he was later issued with a form to fill.

    Said he: “After two months of futile efforts to get response from the bank, I contacted my lawyer who formally lodged complaints to the offices of the Director, Legal Services, national head office of the bank in Lagos; Customers’ Protection Unit, Central Bank of Nigeria; Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Oyo State and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan office through courier services. None of the agencies had responded to the complaints.”

    “I later proceeded to the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police in Lagos, where a superior police officer gave me a note to the then Commissioner of Police Oyo State, Leye Oyebade, who immediately directed the anti-kidnapping unit  to handle the matter.”

    Commenting on the matter, Mr. Muyiwa Alamu, an expert in Information Communication Technology (ICT) said: “Instances abound in banks when a customer would receive debit alerts right in the presence of a banker in the banking hall and he has his ATM card on him. When it happens like that, you don’t need to look far off because the perpetrators are right inside the bank. “Those in the banks could have the code; they are the ones who give out the ATM cards. They may have cloned the cards.”

    He further alleged that banks’ frauds perpetrated via the ATM may be more complex and may have gone far beyond the cloning of ATM cards.

    According to him, criminals may attach devices to Automated Teller Machines to record the account data stored on the magnetic stripe on the back of the ATM card. This practice, according to him, is known as skimming.

    “The card’s Personal Identification Number (PIN) can be spied with a secret camera or a fake number pad overlay.

    “Unfortunately, the victim of such scam may have to bear the brunt because it is always difficult to prove to the banks that the victim is not liable,” he said.

    When contacted, Head of Operation Oyo branch of the bank (name withheld), absolved the bank of any fault.

    He insisted that there was no way money could be transferred through the POS  without the use of an ATM card, adding that the fraudsters might be from within.

    “The issue of cloning is inadmisible here. The fraud was perpetrated from another neighbouring bank. The matter was reported to the police and they came for investigation. We wrote our report and submitted it to the police.

    “The issue is that the account into which the money was sent belongs to someone. Let the account be traced, so that the fraudsters can be unmasked. Those close to  Alhaji Alaka must be closely examined, because his ATM card might  have been taken for fraudulent purpose.”

    On the refusal of the bank’s legal department to respond to a written petition, he said the corporate head office had responded the legal department [though he did not show a copy as evidence], saying the bank’s branch was absolved of any complicity.

    Several efforts to speak with the branch manager were futile, as he was said to be away on official assignments.

    At the EFCC Zonal office and the Pubic Complaints Commission both in Ibadan, none of their officials was available for comment, despite repeated visits.

    At the state police headquarters, Eleiyele, Ibadan, our correspondent reliably learnt from two superior officers who pleaded anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter that the issue was being investigated.

    However, during a press briefing, a copy of a letter from the office of the Director Customers’ Protection Unit of the Central Bank of Nigeria Abuja was made available to our correspondent.

    The letter with reference number CPD/CMD/CON/ZBN/01267 dated August 30, 2016 and signed by Mr. B.E. Lartey for the Director, CBN Protection Unit was addressed to Alaka’s lawyer, Barrister Olawale Omoloye.

    The letter reads in part: “We write to inform you that we are unable to accede to your requests to compel [your client’s bank] to refund the money alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn from the account.

    “Our decision is predicated on the fact that the alleged fraudulent transactions were consummated with your client’s original debit card and authenticated by his PIN which is only known to him.”

  • Two charged with N1.1m bank transfer fraud

    Two charged with N1.1m bank transfer fraud

    The police in Lagos have arrested two men for allegedly stealing N1.1 million belonging to Ecobank Plc through their United Bank for Africa (UBA) account.

    Okorie Ugochukwu, 27, and Meldon Odey, 20, of no fixed adresses, were accused of conspiring with others at large at the Ojodu, Lagos branch of Ecobank and providing a UBA account into which their accomplices transfered N1.1m from Ecobank.

    They were arrested by men of the Ikoyi Police Station, Lagos, allegedly after they withdrew the N1.1m from a UBA Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

    At their arraignment Thursday before Mr. P. A. Adekomaiye of a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere, the defendants were charged on three counts bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

    Prosecuting Inspector Ingobo Emby told the court that the defendants hatched their plans to steal the N1.1m at the Ojodu Branch of Ecobank, sometime in November 2015.

    He alleged that Ugochukwu and Okorie compromised a UBA Savings Account No. 2045154137 “through which they fraudulently received the N1.1m, property of Ecobank Plc, which they withdrew with an ATM card.”

    The offences, the prosecutor added, contravene and are punishable under Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The men denied the charges.

    Chief Magistrate Adekomaiye granted each defendant bail of N300, 000 with two sureties each in the like sum.

    The case was adjourned till March 17.

     

  • Skye Bank begins instant ATM card issuance

    Skye Bank begins instant ATM card issuance

    Skye Bank Plc has started instant card issuance service to both new and existing customers for improved customer experience in its branches. This service is available in selected branches, but is being gradually deployed to all branches of the bank.

    Instant Card Issuance is a process of personalisation and issuance of debit cards to customers immediately upon request, at any branch of Skye Bank. It delivers speed, convenience and value to customers and aligns with customers’ lifestyle.

    Head of Technology and Service Delivery Channels at Skye Bank, Markie Idowu, indicated that henceforth, all branches of Skye Bank will prime debit cards instantly on new accounts and when cards are reported lost, stolen or damaged; customers can expect instant replacements.

    “Instant Card Issuance will improve our customers’ banking experience by eradicating logistics problems that have resulted in delays in debit card delivery.

    Instant card issuance is seamless, so customers can walk into any Skye Bank branch, request for a debit card and collect it instantly,” she said.

    On the bank’s recent strides, the Head, e-Channels at Skye Bank, Akinwale Ojo, said the company has improved its uptime and responsiveness through a series of initiatives that have significantly increased the efficiency of its automatic teller machines.

    “We have entered into strategic alliances with leading card providers to improve card use and promote e-commerce for the economic development of Nigeria. Our cards have been restructured, segmented and streamlined for optimum performance,” he noted.