Secure Banking Tips

Fraud Alerts

Digital banking has become a banking lifestyle for many of us. We pay bills, goods and services as well as send & receive money at a click of a button. Unfortunately, there are some people who have taken advantage of this convenience to defraud customers. We encourage you to be vigilant so that you do not fall prey to these fraudsters. See below some tips:

• REMEMBER your CODE or OTP is your secret. DO NOT share with anyone or allow anyone to assist you to perform any transaction from your phone. You can do all your transactions yourself.
• DO NOT save your PIN, Banking Details on your phone. NEVER share personal details especially your ID number / Account Number via SMS or call with anyone.
• Contact the Bank immediately if you lose your Equitel line, Equity Payment Card or phone so that the cards and digital banking solutions are blocked.
• Avoid using passwords or PINs that are easy for someone else to guess e.g. sequence number 7777, your year of birth, current year, your ID number etc
• All official calls from Equity will only come from ONE Number 0763 000 000. Kindly DO NOT engage anyone who calls you from any other number other than 0763 000 000.
• Remember no Equitel or Equity Staff will ever call to ask you for your CODE, OTP, ID Number or any other personal
• Should you ever receive a call and you are asked for your CODE, OTP, or input your PIN, immediately terminate the call and forward the phone number used to reach you to 333 via SMS.
• Always note that all messages from EQUITEL (Finserve) or EQUITY, shall have a sender’s title reference “EQUITEL” or “EQUITY”. You will NEVER receive SMSs from Equitel or Equity using personal lines or personal numbers.
• If you receive a text message informing you that your account has been BLOCKED, SUSPENDED, DEACTIVATED because of one reason or another or due to KRA PIN or linked to another account, please do not call that number.
• At Equity, we do not block your accounts and will not require you to call us to unblock your account.
• Should you come across anyone purporting to be Equity / Equitel (Finserve) employees, pretending to be testing for Equitel network signal do not give them your phone or engage with them.
• Avoid participating in any promotions that are purported to be from Equity or Equitel. Our promotions will never ask you to send money in order to participate nor will it be communicated through personal numbers.
• Some fraudsters also impersonate Equity sales agents for SIM Cards, phones or technicians checking signal Please note that all Equitel SIM Cards and phones are only sold at branches and selected Equity agents. If you meet such people, please ignore them and contact us immediately. Avoid direct confrontation.
• Delete all text messages from the Bank especially before you share or sell your device. Whenever in doubt, please contact us through the official contact centre number 0763 000 000 or visit the nearest Equity Branch. Our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Do not reply to SMS messages offering soft loans, informing you that your account has a problem or you have won a competition that you did not participate in. Ignore, and report that number by sending it via SMS to 333.
• Always keep your Equity Card with you. Again, do not share your PIN with anyone. When making transactions at an agent or at a merchant (paying for goods and services at hotels, supermarkets) ensure that you can always see your card at all times, and that the Agent only records your account number.
• Ensure you log out from your online banking platforms and check that your password is not autosaved by your browser or phone. If you have any questions or clarifications, we advise you to:
  • Visit any Equity branch or any branded Equity Agent near you
  • Call 100 from your Equitel line for free
  • Call 0763 000 000 from any other mobile network.
  • Inform the village elders or authorities when you spot these fraudsters.

DISCLAIMER

Kindly note that the above tips are among many other ways that a fraudster might use to defraud the Customer, therefore the advice is not limited to the above mentioned.