NCBA Bank Kenya, a part of NCBA Group PLC, is facing serious allegations of internal fraud and negligence towards customers after a client reported losing money due to what seems to be unauthorized online transactions.
The client, who had only used their NCBA debit card once at an ATM and had not activated any online payment options, discovered that an amount equivalent to 100 euros (around Ksh 15,000) was deducted from their account without their consent.
After raising the issue at the bank’s Kenyatta Avenue branch and subsequently escalating it to the headquarters in Upper Hill, the customer was told to wait 35 working days for an internal investigation, a response critics argue is a tactic to evade responsibility. To make matters worse, the bank later informed the customer via email that the transaction was considered “legitimate,” despite their insistence that they had not authorized it.
NCBA claimed that a One-Time Password (OTP) was sent to the customer through SMS and email, but the customer did not receive either. In a shocking turn of events, the customer found that their linked email account had been deleted, prompting concerns about unauthorized access to their personal information, which NCBA had access to.
Ultimately, the bank’s stance absolved itself of any responsibility, placing the blame on the customer for the breach, which has led to increased public scrutiny regarding NCBA’s handling of fraud cases, particularly those that may involve internal complicity.
“Hey Cyprian. I want to bring this to your attention. So recently my NCBA card was used to make an online payment fraudulently, 100 euros, 16k. I opened the account in April. So my issue is, I never lost the card. I went to NCBA Kenyatta Avenue, lodged a complaint and was told to wait 35 days. I went to their head office and was told the same thing. I called back their customer care only to be told it was my problem that the fraud happened. I received a mail from them saying that the transaction appears legit and that there was no fraud involved. That an OTP was sent to my SMS and email, which I never received. On trying to access my email, I was told it had been deleted and I had to recover it. I haven’t used the card for online payment before and I have only used it once for ATM withdrawal. Can it be an inside fraud case at NCBA, because they had my email and card details? In short, that money is gone and it was from a salary I worked so hard to get. Kindly share this so that if there is someone else who has an NCBA card and the same has happened, we can come together and launch a lawsuit.”
This is not an isolated incident.
NCBA, a product of the 2019 merger between NIC Bank and Commercial Bank of Africa, has long touted itself as a digitally forward institution.
But insiders and former clients suggest that its digital platforms have also become fertile ground for untraceable fraud, especially cases involving small to medium-sized account holders who lack the influence to mount effective legal challenges.
Critics argue that NCBA’s systems may be compromised by insiders or poorly monitored third-party access points, particularly given that the customer had never enabled or tested their card for online transactions, nor had they shared their credentials with anyone else.
The incident has added to a growing body of anecdotal evidence suggesting that NCBA’s customer support culture is steeped in opacity, systemic deflection, and institutional arrogance.
Several past customers have confidentially reported similar experiences from funds mysteriously disappearing during ATM transactions, to unexplained delays in reversing erroneous debits, to online banking breaches that remain unresolved for months.
This latest case now raises two urgent concerns.
Does NCBA Bank maintain adequate safeguards to protect customer data and funds, especially in the digital environment it heavily promotes?
And when fraud happens, is the institution equipped (or even willing) to investigate transparently and compensate affected customers?
So far, the customer has received no refund or meaningful assurance.
They are now exploring legal action and have called on other victims of similar alleged fraud under NCBA to come forward and organize a class action lawsuit.
The silence from the bank’s top leadership, combined with the dismissive handling of what appears to be a straightforward case of card fraud, has ignited renewed calls for an independent audit into NCBA’s digital security architecture and the conduct of its fraud resolution department.
For now, the bank’s credibility, particularly among young, tech-savvy, digitally vulnerable customers, continues to plummet.
We at nyakundireport.com are actively pursuing additional documentation and testimony that will help shed further light on the bank’s internal handling of disputed transactions, including possible lapses in customer data protection and digital oversight.
Are you a current or former NCBA customer who has experienced unexplained deductions, stalled reversals, or suspicious online activity on your account?
We encourage you to reach out through any of our social media platforms and confidentially share your story.
