Even our ways of doing banking have changed during lockdown, with the need for precautions to stay safe from infection.
Banks have been declared an essential service during lockdown, and while most are staying open, some are closing certain branches and encouraging employees to work from home.
With Covid-19 spread by infected people coughing, sneezing or talking near you, or by you touching surfaces where droplets fall and then your face, the safest way to bank is not to go into a bank. And these days there should be little reason do to so, as most services are available online.
Use cash as little as possible
Cash is touched by many hands, so rather than using an ATM, pay for goods or services with your cheque, debit or credit card at point-of-sale machines with the tap-to-pay functionality, or via mobile payment apps such as SnapScan, advises Standard Bank. "If customers must handle cash or withdraw from an ATM, we advise continuous washing of hands, including before and after touching the ATM screen or buttons and handling the money, especially if eating or touching food," it says.
Move your banking online
ABSA too urges customers to "please log on to your online banking: go to Full Service, click on the Apply tab and select the product you would like to apply for". If you have a transactional, home loan, asset finance, personal loan, or insurance policy account with them, says a spokesperson, but have not yet registered for online banking, you can use the account number with your personal details to get your online registration started.
Nedbank urges all customers who haven’t yet done so to "move over to the Nedbank Money app or online banking channels, which allow you to perform all of your normal day-to-day banking transactions".
And FNB notes that "only selected branches with reduced hours will be open during lockdown" and branches may have less staff than usual. "We request that you are patient and are compliant with the necessary health and safety measures which have been implemented, such as the use of hand sanitiser."
Staying safe - both physically, and from scams
Reana Steyn, the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS), reminds bank customers to "maintain the 2-metre social distance rule while standing in queues and receiving assistance from bank personnel", to carry tissues or wipes to cough in and discard, and to wear masks.
She also warns of an increase in online fraud. "A new favourite scam seems to be Smishing (SMS phishing), where victims are tricked into clicking a link disguised as information related to the Covid-19 outbreak, or some threat to urgently update their banking information, to fraudulently access their personal accounts. Take extra caution with emails and text messages during this time and when transacting online," Steyn says.
Be aware that legitimate businesses will never ask you for your personal, sensitive or confidential banking information, in the branch, online or over the phone.
Although the OBS office is closed during lockdown, it is operational from 8am to 4.30pm on weekdays. For help with enquiries or to log complaints, call 0860 800 900, email [email protected], or visit www.obssa.co.za.
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