GTBank Denies Website Cloning Claims But Affirms Attempted Domain Breach

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has responded to recent concerns regarding an attempted hacking incident on its website, which had led to widespread reports claiming that the bank’s website had been cloned and customer data intercepted. GTBank has denied these claims, assuring customers that no data was compromised.

The incident occurred shortly after GTBank renewed its domain name, causing a brief disruption that left customers unable to access the bank’s online services. This outage fueled speculation and media reports suggesting that hackers had seized control of the bank’s website and created a fake version to steal customer information.

In a statement released on Thursday, GTBank confirmed that while there was an attempt to breach its domain, the website was not cloned, and no customer data was at risk. The bank emphasized that it does not store customer information on its website, which eliminates the possibility of any data compromise.

“Our attention has been drawn to reports in the media alleging that hackers have seized the Bank’s website, cloned it, and intercepted customer data,” GTBank stated. “While there was an isolated incident of an attempt to compromise our website domain, we would like to assure all our Customers and Stakeholders that the Bank’s website has not been cloned and that we do not store customer information on our website, and as such, there has been no instance of compromise of customer data.”

GTBank also highlighted that its Information Security Experts are working tirelessly to restore the website’s domain settings. The bank urged customers to disregard the misleading reports and remain confident in the institution’s strong security measures.

“We urge all our Customers to please disregard the claims in these media reports and assure you of our unwavering commitment to safeguarding customer data,” the bank added.

The hacking attempt reportedly began on the night of August 14, 2024, just a day after GTBank renewed its domain name for another five years. Some media outlets suggested that hackers had created a fraudulent version of the GTBank website to conduct a phishing operation aimed at stealing customer information. This led to a wave of customer complaints on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where users expressed frustration about their inability to access the bank’s website for transactions.

Despite the website disruption, GTBank’s mobile applications on Android and iOS devices remained functional, allowing customers to continue conducting their transactions without issue.

This incident underscores the increasing threat of cyberattacks targeting financial institutions in Nigeria, where hackers are employing sophisticated methods such as phishing to exploit vulnerabilities. However, GTBank’s swift response and the assurance that no customer data was compromised highlight the bank’s commitment to maintaining the security and trust of its customers.