Times Of Swaziland: UNAUTHORISED DEBIT TRANSACTIONS AT FNB UNAUTHORISED DEBIT TRANSACTIONS AT FNB ================================================================================ Delisa Thwala on 20/07/2021 08:41:00 MBABANE - Debited! A large number of First National Bank (FNB) customers have had unauthorised debit transactions in their bank accounts since Saturday. According to the internet, these type of transactions are known as debit order fraud. This is a type of scam that occurs when debit orders come off one’s bank account without authorisation or having given consent through a signed contract. In South Africa, these scams are known as R99 scams, where varying amounts of less than R100 would be debited from one’s account by an unknown recipient. However, with FNB customers in the country, the transactions varied from E400, with the highest debit order being E4 600. These debit orders came in the form of unknown purchases from the United States of America and they were in US Dollars. FNB customers received notifications on certain amounts being debited from their bank accounts for the purchase of items such as suits and television sets, among others. A customer found at FNB Mbabane Branch said she had received an inContact message alerting her about a debit transaction worth E1 500. Received Sendra Shabangu, who has been banking with the bank for many years now, said she received the message on Sunday morning. “I received a message to the effect that money had been taken from my account and I did not understand how. So today I came here to seek answers,” said Shabangu. She added that the bank gave her a form to fill in and her debit card was cancelled and there were possibilities of getting her money back. “It sounded promising. They promised to act swiftly on the issue and said we might get our money back,” said Shabangu. Another affected customer was Thulani Lobhambo. “It was awkward because money started being taken from my account on Sunday and then I came here today to cancel my card. The reference message said I had bought a suit in the United States. The transactions were also in US Dollars,” said Lobhambo. This publication interviewed a number of people who had experienced the random debit transactions in their accounts. At the time of going to print, Thoba Mavuso had the highest amount debited, being E4 600, from her bank account. “They gave me a form to fill in and my card was cancelled immediately. “This debit order happened on Saturday and since banks are closed on weekends, I came to sort it out today,” said Mavuso.