“He Knew My BVN”: Man Exposes Sophisticated Bank Fraud Tactics Where Fraudsters Pose as Bank Staff in New Scheme to Steal ATM Details.
A warning about a sophisticated new bank fraud method is circulating online, urging Nigerians to be extra cautious with their personal and banking information. The alert comes from a detailed account shared by a man who nearly fell victim to a convincing phone scam.
The story, which was posted on a popular WhatsApp group, describes how fraudsters are now operating with a disturbing amount of a victim’s personal data, making their schemes seem highly legitimate.
According to the post, the man received a call at 1:30 PM from a number identified as 08148292037. The caller introduced himself as “Mr. Benjamin from FBN Abuja” and immediately established credibility by correctly stating the man’s full names, Bank Verification Number (BVN), date of birth, and even the phone number linked to his bank alerts.
The so-called bank official then presented a fabricated crisis. He claimed that a “Mr. Usman” was trying to move money from the victim’s First Bank account to a newly created Union Bank account. He said he had stopped the transaction and was calling to verify if it was authorized.
“When he said he had my BVN and date of birth, I was initially alarmed,” the man recounted in his post. “It felt very real.”
The scammer then engaged in a series of probing questions, asking if the man had recently given out his ATM card or used it. After the man said no, the caller made his true move: he demanded that the victim read out the 16-digit number on the front of his ATM card to “stop the transaction.”
This is where the potential victim became suspicious. He refused to provide the number, telling the caller that the information already given should be sufficient to block any fraudulent activity if he was a genuine bank employee.
“I told him that I will never read out my number to who claimed to be FBN`s staff over the phone, that I will rather go to any First Bank office & complain,” he wrote.
The caller grew frustrated, asking, “Am I a ghost and not a FBN staff to get all your details?” before abruptly ending the call.
The situation took a more serious turn moments later. An alert from Union Bank arrived on the man’s phone, showing authentication codes for a new account opening. The scam had been in motion the entire time; the fraudsters were likely attempting to use his details to gain full access to his finances.
The man immediately visited a First Bank branch. A customer service representative there assured him that since he had not revealed his ATM card number, PIN, or the three-digit CVV code on the back of the card, his funds were safe.
READ: Fintech Giant Paystack Suspends CTO, Ezra Olubi Over Sexual Misconduct Claims, Old Tweets Surface
The incident has raised concerns about how scammers are obtaining such sensitive customer data, including BVN information. The victim suggested in his post that “fraudulent bank staff” may be involved.
Financial experts consistently advise that a bank will never ask for your full ATM card number, PIN, or online banking password over the phone. This case serves as a critical reminder to never share these details, no matter how convincing the caller seems.
The man ended his post with a plea for others to share his story widely to prevent others from falling for the same trap.
Discover more from TOKTOK9JA MEDIA
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
