Pensioner loses P30,000 to KYC phone scam
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday April 1, 2026 06:00
According to police, the incident occurred on Friday when the pensioner received a call from an individual claiming to be from Standard Chartered Bank. The caller allegedly informed him that his Know Your Customer (KYC) details had not been updated, prompting the unsuspecting man to share his banking information.
Whilst still on the call, the victim received a notification that P20,000 had been transferred from his account. Moments later, an additional P4,000 was withdrawn, leaving him alarmed and confused.
Mahalapye Central Police Station assistant commander, Assistant Superintendent Malakia Gabana, confirmed the incident, stating that further transactions were made shortly thereafter.
“On Saturday morning, the victim discovered that an additional P4,000 and P2,000 had been withdrawn from his account, bringing the total amount lost to P30,000. He then reported the matter to the police,” Gabana said.
Police have since attempted to trace the suspect using the phone number used in the scam, but it has been switched off.
“Investigations are ongoing to locate and arrest the fraudster,” Gabana added.
Police have urged members of the public to exercise caution when receiving calls from individuals claiming to be bank officials. Further, the police advise against sharing personal or banking details over the phone.