Standard Bank Denies Security Breach Amid Customer Complaints

Standard Bank has refuted claims of a security breach following a wave of customer complaints on social media which surfaced on Tuesday. Users raised concerns about suspicious transactions on their accounts and expressed frustration over issues accessing the bank’s app or contacting the call centre to report the fraudulent activities due to high call volumes.

One social media user, @ayandamthethwa_, revealed the occurrence of several questionable transactions on their Standard Bank account, amounting to thousands of rands, with no clear explanation.

Renowned three-time Comrades Marathon champion, Gerda Steyn, also shared her distress in attempting to report a fraud incident to Standard Bank, voicing challenges in getting through to the call centre as she waited for over an hour on hold.

In response, Standard Bank stated that there has been no breach in its system and emphasized that the reported issues were not linked to a security breach. The bank did acknowledge delays in customer service at its call centre, attributing the backlog to a surge in transactions towards the end of the month.

Standard Bank apologized to customers for the inconvenience caused by the extended waiting times when attempting to contact the call centre. However, the bank advised customers to utilize its banking app or internet banking platforms to manage their cards or report any fraudulent activities promptly.

For customers unable to get through to the call centre, Standard Bank recommended using its App or Internet Banking services to address fraud concerns and oversee card transactions. Additionally, customers were encouraged to visit the bank’s website for tips and information on preventing fraud incidents.