Bank customers deplore 'illegal' withdrawals and demand urgent action
Some banking customers of various banks across the country have lamented the growing wave of "illegal" withdrawals from their accounts.
Some of the customers who fell victim to the act said so in an interview with the Nigeria News Agency in Abuja on Monday.
They called the act fraudulent which authorities must address urgently.
They also alleged that most illegal deductions in banks were made in collusion with bank staff.
A customer of one of the new generation banks, Miss Helen Isiguzu, said that fraud was perpetrated in almost all banks unlike before, adding that it was more prevalent in some banks.
"What's happening in banks these days discourages me from depositing my money with them.
"No wonder the Central Bank of Nigeria said there is so much money in the hands of Nigerians outside of the banks.
"People are starting to lose hope in commercial banks.
"Instead of my money to grow wings and disappear from my account just in a day, I'm investing it in real estate instead and it will bring more profit", he said - she declared.
Ms. Anthonia Ibedalu, another client of one of the new generation banks, said that some banks in the country were operating below international standards.
Ibedalu called on relevant authorities, including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, to step up actions and save customers from fraudulent activities in some banks.
"I traveled to South Africa for three years, but I had a dollar account in one of the banks.
"When I returned to Nigeria for vacation I decided to take the money but to my surprise I was told that the money was no longer there .
"I asked what happened, but was told my account had been hacked. I was wondering how an account that no one else had the details could be hacked.
"When I contacted the higher authorities of the bank, they investigated and my money was refunded.
"They didn't tell me the outcome of their investigation but based on their responses, it was insider stuff. I'm asking now, what if I didn't know who contact,” she said.
A former banker, Mr. Louis Otagoro, called on the Chartered Institute of Bankers to ensure that only trained professionals practice in the sector.
"The CIBN should step up its actions to ensure that the banking profession does not become everyone's business," he said.
Meanwhile, CIBN Chairman Ken Opara said the council was committed and committed to upholding and maintaining ethics and professionalism among banking practitioners .
The FCCPC's Executive Vice President, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, also said he was engaging with banks to address consumer-related issues.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had said that most of the bank frauds investigated by the Commission showed that bank employees aided the acts.
The head of the Commission's cybercrime section, Abbah Sambo, said the acts were mainly perpetrated by information insiders, communication technology employees of banks .
He also expressed his regret at the increase in the rate of cybercrime despite all the efforts made by the Commission to deal with it.
Sambo observed that in the past young people involved in cybercrime were not ICT savvy, but today it is ICT graduates who have been the champions of the commission of the crime.
NAN
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Some banking customers of various banks across the country have lamented the growing wave of "illegal" withdrawals from their accounts.
Some of the customers who fell victim to the act said so in an interview with the Nigeria News Agency in Abuja on Monday.
They called the act fraudulent which authorities must address urgently.
They also alleged that most illegal deductions in banks were made in collusion with bank staff.
A customer of one of the new generation banks, Miss Helen Isiguzu, said that fraud was perpetrated in almost all banks unlike before, adding that it was more prevalent in some banks.
"What's happening in banks these days discourages me from depositing my money with them.
"No wonder the Central Bank of Nigeria said there is so much money in the hands of Nigerians outside of the banks.
"People are starting to lose hope in commercial banks.
"Instead of my money to grow wings and disappear from my account just in a day, I'm investing it in real estate instead and it will bring more profit", he said - she declared.
Ms. Anthonia Ibedalu, another client of one of the new generation banks, said that some banks in the country were operating below international standards.
Ibedalu called on relevant authorities, including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, to step up actions and save customers from fraudulent activities in some banks.
"I traveled to South Africa for three years, but I had a dollar account in one of the banks.
"When I returned to Nigeria for vacation I decided to take the money but to my surprise I was told that the money was no longer there .
"I asked what happened, but was told my account had been hacked. I was wondering how an account that no one else had the details could be hacked.
"When I contacted the higher authorities of the bank, they investigated and my money was refunded.
"They didn't tell me the outcome of their investigation but based on their responses, it was insider stuff. I'm asking now, what if I didn't know who contact,” she said.
A former banker, Mr. Louis Otagoro, called on the Chartered Institute of Bankers to ensure that only trained professionals practice in the sector.
"The CIBN should step up its actions to ensure that the banking profession does not become everyone's business," he said.
Meanwhile, CIBN Chairman Ken Opara said the council was committed and committed to upholding and maintaining ethics and professionalism among banking practitioners .
The FCCPC's Executive Vice President, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, also said he was engaging with banks to address consumer-related issues.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had said that most of the bank frauds investigated by the Commission showed that bank employees aided the acts.
The head of the Commission's cybercrime section, Abbah Sambo, said the acts were mainly perpetrated by information insiders, communication technology employees of banks .
He also expressed his regret at the increase in the rate of cybercrime despite all the efforts made by the Commission to deal with it.
Sambo observed that in the past young people involved in cybercrime were not ICT savvy, but today it is ICT graduates who have been the champions of the commission of the crime.
NAN
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