IN SHORT: A Twitter account in the name of Stanbic Bank Uganda, is impersonating the commercial bank. You are advised not to give it your bank details.
At first glance, the Twitter (or X) account Stanbic Bank Uganda seems legit.
It tweets from the handle @Stanbicuga and uses the Ugandan financial services company’s logo.
Its bio reads: "The Official Page Of Stanbic Bank Online Customer Care Support 0800150150 http://stanbicbank.co.ug We usually reply on time."
The account links to a website called equitybank.co.ug. This is strange because Equity Bank is a completely different company to Stanbic Bank. In fact, the two are competitors.
Equity Bank Uganda is owned by Equity Group Holdings Limited.
Stanbic Bank Uganda is a subsidiary of Stanbic Africa Holdings Limited, which is owned by Standard Bank Group Limited.
The account has seen a lot of engagement from users who are undoubtedly under the impression that they are interacting with the real commercial bank.
Some of the activity on this account includes retweets showing queries about account issues that customers are experiencing, and replies asking them to send a text message to the WhatsApp number +256763156886 or 0800250250 for assistance.
On 16 July 2023, the account issued what looks like a public announcement.
It reads: "**PUBLIC NOTICE**** Dear Customers, You are requested to submit your ID for account update with NIN as requested by Bank of Uganda to avoid account deactivation or CLOSER. For more information please WhatsApp +256763156886 for assistance MANAGEMENT STANBIC UGANDA @stanbicug".
But is this really the official account of Stanbic Bank Uganda?
Ignore fake account
The official Stanbic Bank Uganda account has a gold badge next to its name. This indicates that it’s an official business account that has been verified.
The name of the verified account is Stanbic Bank Uganda and its handle is @stanbicug. It has over 89,000 followers.
On 22 July, the verified account issued a fraud alert, warning its customers to be wary of sharing their banking details with fake social media accounts and websites that are run by fraudsters.
"Fraud Alert. Beware of fraudulent & fake social media accounts & websites used by scammers to get your information. Always look for our verified page (@stanbicug) & never share your PIN number & account details on social media. #SafeBanking," the bank wrote.
The message was accompanied by screenshots of the fake Twitter account that was impersonating the bank.
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