Standard Bank clerk used duplicate cards to steal R1.3m from customer

31 January 2019 - 16:11 By timeslive
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A Standard Bank employee authorised replicated bank cards to withdraw money from a customer's account and deposit it into other accounts which were emptied by accomplices.
A Standard Bank employee authorised replicated bank cards to withdraw money from a customer's account and deposit it into other accounts which were emptied by accomplices.
Image: Gallo Images/Thinkstock

A 47-year-old bank employee in Limpopo was due in court on Thursday after being arrested by the Hawks' serious commercial crime investigation unit.

The woman was arrested on Tuesday, after she allegedly defrauded a bank client of R1.3m, said Capt Matimba Maluleke.

She is employed by Standard Bank in Musina, Limpopo.

Maluleke said the fraudster "allegedly invaded a client's bank account early this month and fraudulently transferred sums of money into different fictitious accounts, from which where her fellow syndicate members would make withdrawals".

The Hawks' investigation has revealed that the consultant allegedly authorised replicated bank cards with a valid pin code on the victim’s account. This enabled the looting to appear as if it was the client making the transactions.

The suspect was due to appear in the Musina Magistrate's Court on Thursday and is likely to face charges of fraud‚ money laundering and contraventions of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act.

"Additional arrests cannot be ruled out as investigations continue," said Maluleke.


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