Barclays on Monday advised its customers to be alert against fraudsters as it completed its legal name change to Absa Bank Kenya.
The bank formally rebranded into the warm red Absa colours Monday, bidding farewell to the blue eagle emblem that has defined it for about 104 years.
The name change comes almost three years after Britain’s Barclays sold most of its controlling stake in Absa, South Africa’s third-largest lender, ending more than a century of the British bank’s involvement in Africa to focus on its home market and the United States.
Fraudsters could take advantage of the transition to try to dupe Absa Kenya customers into giving away crucial bank accounts information as it formally transitions from Barclays brand, the bank has warned.
“Customers are urged to be particularly vigilant during this time, as fraudsters are always looking for opportunities to obtain important personal information. The bank will not be asking customers for any information regarding their accounts,” Absa said in a statement.
Fraudsters have in the past used corporate shifts such as name changes, branch expansions and roll out of new technology to steal from customers by obtaining information such as account numbers and passwords.
Source: PATRICK ALUSHULA
