National Bank Issues Warning Over Fake Calls Seeking Customers’ PINs and OTPs

National Bank of Kenya (NBK) has cautioned customers against disclosing their banking credentials to callers claiming to represent the lender, warning that fraudsters are using deceptive phone numbers to impersonate bank staff.

The bank said it had received reports of fraudsters making calls with caller IDs resembling its official telephone numbers in an attempt to obtain customers’ confidential information.

NBK warned that customers should not be misled by calls that appear to originate from the bank, stressing that its employees would never request PINs, passwords, one-time passwords (OTPs) or card details through phone calls, SMS or email.

The lender urged customers to remain vigilant and treat any request for such information as suspicious, regardless of the number displayed on their phones.

“If you suspect fraud, hang up and report it immediately by calling us directly on +254 711 038 900 or any of the numbers above,” the bank advised.

NBK said customers should independently contact the bank through its official telephone contacts whenever they suspect an attempted scam, rather than relying on numbers provided by suspicious callers.

The warning highlights the risks posed by caller ID impersonation, where fraudsters make calls appear to originate from legitimate institutions to gain the trust of unsuspecting customers.