Martin Endjala
The First National Bank of Namibia (FNB) is tracing a 60-year-old pensioner who was defrauded of N$1.1 million last week by an unidentified suspect.
According to police reports, the victim, a resident of Uukwamatsi village in the Okahao Constituency of the Omusati region, fell prey to an unknown method used by the suspect to gain access to her bank account.
Funds were then transferred to various FNB accounts without her consent.
No money has been recovered yet, and investigations into the matter continue.
FNB communications manager Kirsty Watermeyer said the bank is treating the case as a top priority.
“We are also preparing to do a series of interviews with the media about this. We do need to be sensitive to the fact that it is an ongoing police investigation, and we are awaiting clearance from law enforcement before we make any comments specific to the case. We are preparing to engage with the media to hold interviews very soon about this,” she said.
This incident adds to a series of fraud cases targeting FNB customers in recent years.
The issue of account fraud became prominent in 2023 when multiple customers reported losing money through the bank’s eWallet service.
At the time, FNB said that it could not be held responsible for money lost to fraudsters through this platform.
In June 2023, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila fell victim to a fraud scheme and lost N$159,000 to a scammer posing as a bank official.
In December 2024, Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service Agnes Tjongarero was also reported to have been defrauded of N$711 200 in personal savings by scammers.
In 2022, the minister of defence and veterans affairs, Frans Kapofi, was defrauded of N$200 000.
The minister registered a fraud case at the Windhoek Police Station after being scammed by a man pretending to phone from his bank, offering to assist him with his accounts.
The suspect, Owen Mahoto, was arrested and appeared in court.
Following the recent fraud involving the pensioner, FNB released a statement on Sunday expressing regret over the increasing number of customers losing money under the threat of violence or coercion.
The bank assured the public that it is conducting a rigorous investigation and collaborating with law enforcement to ensure information is swiftly shared with investigators.
FNB further advised customers to take precautions, such as reducing their daily ATM withdrawal and payment limits.
This, the bank noted, could minimise losses in situations where individuals are coerced to reveal their PINs or passwords under the threat of violence.
