Meezan Bank has rejected claims of a “data breach” following reports on social media about unauthorized transactions from customers’ debit and credit cards.
Over the past week, several social media users reported instances of large sums being transferred from their accounts without authorization. Some speculated that this could be the result of a data leak.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the bank dismissed these rumors, declaring that “the rumors regarding a data breach at Meezan Bank are entirely false.” The bank reassured customers that their data is secure and emphasized that “there has been no security breach whatsoever.”
The bank further stated that it was addressing the situation by compensating affected customers promptly. It clarified that the disputed transactions were linked to unsecured e-commerce purchases, which are covered by the chargeback system of international payment networks. Affected customers are being fully reimbursed.
Additionally, the bank advised customers to exercise caution when using their cards for online transactions.
Malik Zaka, an Islamabad resident, shared his experience in a Facebook group, “Voice of Customer,” claiming his Meezan Bank debit card was used for unauthorized transactions amounting to Rs2.1 million. He noted that the transactions occurred on Facebook, in Malaysian currency, and were later converted to PKR. Zaka asserted that he had never used the card for online banking, which led him to suspect the possibility of a data breach. However, he reported that the bank quickly reimbursed the amount within three hours.
Another customer from Lahore, who requested anonymity, reported similar issues, with unauthorized transactions totaling Rs1.4 million. He claimed that he never received an OTP or notification about the transaction, and the bank later confirmed that his card had been misused.
Despite these reports, Meezan Bank maintains that there is no evidence of a data breach, and it continues to take steps to resolve the issues and reimburse affected customers.
