Following the alleged misappropriation of VND245 billion (US$10.78 million) from an Eximbank customer’s account, many banks are now enabling their customers to check their accounts online.

Eximbank is offering an SMS notification service that keeps customers informed about their balance and transactions.

Maritime Bank, VietinBank and Sacombank allow customers to check their saving accounts online without having to sign up for internet banking.

Some banks already had measures in place to help customers monitor their accounts online.

For instance, TPBank prints a QR code on the passbook that can be scanned using the bank’s app.

“Criminals can forge signatures or stamps or alter information on a stolen passbook, but a QR code cannot be tampered with,” Nguyen Hung, the director of TPBank, said.

Can Van Luc, director of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam Training School, advised customers to use SMS notification services or bank apps to frequently check their accounts and both customers and bank staff to carefully follow procedures when depositing money.

But another insider said banks should carefully review their systems and procedures to eliminate frauds and reassure customers rather than make them check their accounts all the time.

Last year Le Nguyen Hung, a former deputy director of Eximbank, allegedly forged documents to steal VND245 billion from Chu Thi Binh’s savings account, resigned his job and went abroad. Eximbank is working with the police and Binh to resolve the problem. – VNS