Sometimes the first sign of fraud is the statement itself: a transfer to an account you don't recognise, or a standing order you never set up. These follow a credential theft, a SIM swap, or misuse of access by someone who handled your phone or documents.
The fraudster gains access once, through phishing, a borrowed phone, or an intercepted OTP.
They move money in amounts timed or sized to avoid attention, or set up recurring payments.
Funds hop through mule accounts quickly, so tracing depends on fast reporting.
Debits, transfers, or airtime purchases you don't recognise, however small.
New payees or standing orders you didn't create.
Balance lower than expected with no alerts received.
Check statements and transaction alerts regularly. Small 'test' debits often come first.
Report any unknown transaction to your institution the same day; ask them to trace and freeze.
Keep banking apps and your phone's software up to date, and never share your device unlocked.