Safe Banking Habits That Protect Your Money
Updated: Oct 12
MEDIA RELEASE
Issued: 9 October 2026I
Insight from Steve Makuchete, Head of Payments and Channels, Letshego Holdings Namibia
Every day, customers interact with their money through banking mobile apps, ATMs, internet banking, cellphone banking and other digital service channels. Each touchpoint offers convenience, and each also requires care to keep the information accessed through it secure. According to Steve Makuchete, Head of Payments and Channels at Letshego Holdings Namibia, safe banking is never a result of isolated actions. It is built from a set of habits, practised consistently, across every channel and device a customer uses.
On mobile and online banking, the basics still matter most, such as protecting a device with a password, PIN or biometric lock, downloading banking apps only from trusted app stores, and installing updates promptly, all of which close off common points of weakness. At an ATM, a moment of awareness of shielding a PIN, checking that nothing looks tampered with and walking away from anything that feels off, remains one of the most effective protections available. The same caution applies away from a branch or ATM, free Wi-Fi at a shopping centre, airport or restaurant is convenient, but not always secure, so it's best to avoid banking or entering passwords over public Wi-Fi and instead use mobile data or a trusted personal hotspot for anything sensitive.
One of the most common tactics customers face is impersonation, and it is currently the leading driver of fraud losses in Namibia. A fraudster calls, sounding professional, sometimes already knowing a customer's name or part of an account number, and creates urgency, such as an account has been compromised, a payment has failed, or a card must be blocked now. Under that pressure, the customer is asked to confirm an ID number, card details, a PIN, or a one-time password. The same approach arrives by SMS, WhatsApp, or email, often with a link to a page built to look exactly like a legitimate company website.
Letshego will never call, message, or email a customer to ask for a PIN, password, or one-time password. If such a call comes through, the safest response is to end it immediately and contact Letshego through the call centre or official website, never a number the caller provides. The same caution applies to links in unexpected messages. It is safer to open the app directly or type the website address in by yourself. Reviewing account activity regularly and keeping transaction alerts switched on adds one more layer of protection, giving early visibility into anything unusual.
Practising these habits together and consistently builds real protection for your money and peace of mind.
Report anything suspicious to any of these channels:
Toll-free for Telecom fixed lines: 080 000 3313
Toll-free for MTC users: 081 918 37
Call back number: +27 11 929 3334
Email: letshego@tip-offs.com
Website: www.tip-offs.com
For media inquiries, please contact:
Mrs. Ongame Mutorwa
Communications Manager
Tel: (+264) 61 2023500
E-mail: OngameM@Letshego.com
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