Dear Customer

The banking industry has been made aware that Experian Information Solutions – a consumer, business and credit information services agency – has experienced a breach of data.

Although this information is not related to your personal banking details, client data protection is our utmost priority and therefore FNB has implemented additional measures in relation to fraud monitoring.

Experian has initiated a formal forensic investigation of the breach and has confirmed that the breach has been reported to law enforcement and appropriate regulatory authorities. Furthermore, Experian are working closely with South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) and all banks to ensure that we proactively mitigate any potential risks as a result of the incident.

The banking industry has been working with Experian and SABRIC to identify which of their clients may have been exposed to the breach and to protect their personal information, even as the investigation unfolds. Banks and SABRIC have also been cooperating with Experian in their efforts to secure the data and ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

FNB has a commercial relationship with Experian and other credit bureaus who provide similar services. FNB uses the services of Experian as part of its business and provides its clients’ credit data to Experian as part of its regulatory reporting duties. Due to the nature of Experian’s business model, they are permitted by law to obtain and store information of credit active clients. Based on the initial information that has been provided to FNB, the information of a number of clients that is held by Experian, may have been compromised.

Although the breach occurred at Experian, we wish to inform all our clients of this incident, and advise that we will be communicating directly with those clients whose information may have been compromised.

Client data protection is our utmost priority and therefore FNB has implemented additional measures in relation to fraud monitoring.

We urge you to be extra vigilant

• Do not disclose personal information such as passwords and PINs when asked to do so by anyone via telephone, SMS, email, or any other communication channel.
• Change your password regularly and never share them with anyone else.
• Verify all requests for personal information and only provide personal information when there is a legitimate reason to do so.
• If you are contacted by FNB we will never ask you for your password or PINs. If you feel suspicious of a call rather end the call and contact us using your regular point of contact.
• Only confirm bank account information directly with the person providing the service via telephone before payments are made.
• Make informed choices regarding which email address to use, when it comes to sharing payments and sensitive information, as some email services are not secure.
• Enable additional security-related features to protect your email account, such as two-factor authentication.
• Perform frequent anti-virus and malware scans on your personal computer and mobile device, using software that is up to date.
• Do not click on any links.

Please contact our fraud hotline on 087 575 9444 (or +27 11 369 2924 if dialling from abroad) should you suspect fraudulent activity on your account.

Should you suspect that your identity has been compromised, apply immediately for a free Protective Registration listing with Southern Africa Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS). This service alerts SAFPS members, which includes banks and credit providers, that your identity has been compromised and that additional care needs to be taken to confirm that they are transacting with the legitimate identity holder. Consumers wanting to apply for a Protective Registration can contact SAFPS at 011 867 2234.

We encourage our clients to access more Safety Tips on the FNB App, or access the Security Centre online.

Warm Regards

Raj Makanjee
CEO Retail and Private Banking