₦airaland Forum

A thief stole my phone and I thought the money in my bank account will be safe since I used my fingerprint to secure my phone and USSD requests requires pins but I was wrong. The thief removed my SIM card from my phone and then used another phone to initiate a USSD request to buy airtime for my line. The thief then transferred the money from my line to another phone line using airtime transfer. I was surprised when this transaction happened because I thought USSD requests were protected by pins. I eventually found out that GTBank doesn't require pins to send airtime to your own line and this is a poor security design. This means GTBank is assuming that sending airtime to your own phone line automatically means it is the owner of the phone line making the request. It shouldn't have been designed this way. Anyone can steal your phone and use USSD on your banking line to move out your money through airtime purchase.

Please moderators should move this update to the front page so people can be enlightened and GTBank corrects this security loop hole.

Nlfpmod Seun Mynd44 Lalasticlala

Is actually a poor security design...

MTN/Gtb in other countries I have been to requires a password to buyairtime for even your own personal line.

I don't understand why most things Nigeria have to be different!

brain54:
Is actually a poor security design...

MTN in other countries I have been to requires a password but airtime for even your own personal line.

I don't understand why most things Nigeria have to be different!

I was really surprised. I even relaxed and wasn't bothered that the thief will gain access to my bank account. After some hours I accessed my bank account through internet banking and the account has been cleared.

Always put a Sim Password on your phone alongside your normal phone password.

The sim is virtually useless unless you enter the pin. On every sim card linked to your bank - add a sim lock.

Na you work hard, so secure your money on all fronts from your end.

Meanwhile GTB fails here in prioritizing user experience and sacrificing user protection.

I totally agree with the poster. GTB should quickly do the needful. Meanwhile, let's endeavour to tag GTB on all their social media platforms.

This country is getting worse with crime because of incompetent politicians

Stephen0mozzy:
Always put a Sim Password on your phone alongside your normal phone password.

The sim is virtually useless unless you enter the pin. On every sim card linked to your bank - add a sim lock.

Na you work hard, so secure your money on all fronts from your end.

Meanwhile GTB fails here in prioritizing user experience and sacrificing user protection.

It will be helpful but your phone can still be stolen when you have already unlocked the SIM and the screen lock hasn't activated yet. The thief will have to keep the screen active and still use USSD with your phone. The USSD pin will be the only last line of defense.

Nefort:
It will be helpful but your phone can still be stolen when you have already unlocked the SIM and the screen lock hasn't activated yet. The thief will have to keep the screen active and still use USSD with your phone. The USSD pin will be the only last line of defense.

Is there anyone in this present world that has no screen lock…
The bank has failed to protect her customers,simple

Nefort:
It will be helpful but your phone can still be stolen when you have already unlocked the SIM and the screen lock hasn't activated yet. The thief will have to keep the screen active and still use USSD with your phone. The USSD pin will be the only last line of defense.

The only way your phone should stay on and still be stolen and kept active is of you were robbed at gun point.

Otherwise, your phone should lock after 30secs of inactivity.

Note I was not against USSD pin. But until dey do it, protect yourself.

Put password on both the SIM and phone is necessary and then notify your bank immediately when the phone is stolen or use USSD to block the account.

Stephen0mozzy:
The only way your phone should stay on and still be stolen and kept active is of you were robbed at gun point.

Otherwise, your phone should lock after 30secs of inactivity.

Note I was not against USSD pin. But until dey do it, protect yourself.

It must not be at gun point. Haven't you heard of people's phone getting snatched through the vehicle window in traffic areas? At night someone in a motorcycle or keke napep can snatch your phone from your hand and zoom off.

I think this is applicable not only to GTB but all banks. I use Access for Ussd transaction, they won't ask for pin before recharging my personal line.

Nefort:
It must not be at gun point. Haven't you heard of people's phone getting snatched through the vehicle window in traffic areas? At night someone in a motorcycle or keke napep can snatch your phone from your hand and zoom off.

You're still mentioning "human problem" - humans are the most vulnerable link in every system, and that's why you should learn to be security conscious - we both know your phone could have been in your bag safely at the point where you got distracted enough for your phone to be snatched off your hands "before you know it".

Nefort:
It must not be at gun point. Haven't you heard of people's phone getting snatched through the vehicle window in traffic areas? At night someone in a motorcycle or keke napep can snatch your phone from your hand and zoom off.

oga try to understand well. Putting pin on your sim is the best forget phone. If they can't open your phone even if they remove sim from that phone to another they won't be able to access your info. All sims linked to my bank accounts have pin code.