How Banking Security Works in Pakistan
Pakistan's banking sector operates under a layered security architecture one that covers everything from the server room to your smartphone screen.
Pakistan’s banking sector operates under a layered security architecture one that covers everything from the server room to your smartphone screen.
The SBP’s Regulatory Framework
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is the primary regulator governing security standards for all banks. Its Regulations for the Security of Internet Banking require banks to implement administrative, technical and physical safeguards across all digital channels. SBP has also introduced a broader cyber resilience strategy for regulated entities, along with the Electronic Fund Transfers Regulations 2018 which set out customer refund rights for unauthorised electronic transfers and further instructions on digital fraud prevention and real-time fraud risk management.
Every bank in Pakistan including Allied Bank must comply with these directives as a matter of binding regulatory obligation. Non-compliance carries regulatory consequences under SBP’s supervisory framework.
The Legal Framework: PECA 2016
On the law enforcement side, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, as amended in 2025, serves as Pakistan’s primary legislation for prosecuting digital financial crimes, including identity theft, phishing and unauthorised account access. Investigation of offences under the Act is vested in the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). If you are a victim of online banking fraud, a complaint to the NCCIA through its official channels is one of your formal recourse options.
How Allied Bank Protects Your Account
Allied Bank’s digital infrastructure is built around multiple layers of protection:
The Most Common Banking Frauds in Pakistan
Understanding how fraud works is the first step to not becoming a victim. These are the threats Pakistani banking customers face most often.
Phishing is when a fraudster sends you a fake email, SMS or WhatsApp message designed to look like it came from your bank. The message typically asks you to click a link and enter your login credentials, OTP, or card details. The link leads to a copycat website built to steal whatever you enter.
Allied Bank will never ask you for your myABL username, password, ATM PIN or OTP through a phone call, SMS, email or social media message. Allied Bank’s official helpline, 042-111-225-225, is only used for receiving calls from customers — Allied Bank will never call you from that number.
A call that appears to come from 042-111-225-225 is not proof that it is Allied Bank. Caller ID can be spoofed, and fraudsters routinely display the bank’s own helpline number to establish trust. If in doubt, end the call and dial the helpline yourself using a number taken from the official website, the myABL app or the back of your card.
If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Allied Bank, do not click any links and do not share any information. Report it through the Allied Bank Help and Support page immediately.
In a SIM swap attack, a fraudster contacts your mobile network provider and convinces them to transfer your phone number to a new SIM card under their control. Once they have your number, they can intercept OTPs sent to your phone and gain access to your banking accounts.
Signs of a SIM swap include your phone suddenly losing network signal, or calls and SMS stopping without explanation. Treat this as a suspected SIM swap and report it to your mobile operator immediately, then contact Allied Bank.
Customers should ensure their mobile number registered with the bank remains up to date, and immediately report any unauthorised SIM replacement activity to both their telecom provider and the bank.
- You can check how many SIMs are registered against your CNIC through the PTA SIM Information System and have any unrecognised SIMs blocked.
- SIM replacement requires biometric verification — a replacement you did not perform yourself should be escalated as fraud, not treated as an administrative error.
- Ask Allied Bank to suspend your digital banking access while the SIM issue is being resolved.
Card skimming involves installing a device on an ATM or point-of-sale terminal that secretly copies your card data when you swipe or insert it. Fraudsters then use the copied data to create a cloned card and make unauthorised transactions.
Before using an ATM:
- Inspect the card reader for any loose or unusual attachments.
- Cover your hand when entering your PIN — even if no one appears to be watching.
- Prefer ATMs inside bank branches or well-lit, monitored locations.
Vishing is phone-based fraud. A caller impersonates a bank employee, government official or telecom company representative and creates a sense of urgency — telling you that your account has been compromised, that you owe taxes, or that you’ve won a prize. The goal is always the same: to get you to share your banking credentials, OTP or card details over the phone.
No legitimate Allied Bank representative will ever ask for your PIN, OTP or full card number over the phone.
Remote access and screen-sharing apps: the fraudster instructs you to install AnyDesk, TeamViewer, QuickSupport or similar “so the bank can fix the problem,” then operates your banking session from your own device. No OTP is intercepted, because you approve everything yourself. Allied Bank will never ask you to install a screen-sharing or remote-access application.
Call-forwarding fraud: you are talked into dialling a code that diverts your calls and SMS to the fraudster, who then intercepts your OTPs directly.
Common pretexts in Pakistan include benefit and subsidy programmes, prize schemes, fake buyers and sellers on classified platforms, and callers impersonating officials.
Malicious apps that mimic legitimate banking apps are a growing threat. Once installed, they can capture your keystrokes, screen content or login credentials and send them to a remote server.
Download banking applications only from official application stores — Google Play Store, Apple App Store or Huawei AppGallery — and verify that the publisher is the bank before installation. Never install an APK file sent via WhatsApp, email or any other channel.
Online Banking Safety: What You Can Do
Even the strongest security systems benefit from good everyday habits on the customer’s side. These habits work alongside Allied Bank’s own safeguards.
Your myABL password should be a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Avoid your name, date of birth, address or anything that someone who knows you could guess. Do not use the same password across multiple apps or websites.
Change your password if you have reason to believe it has been exposed — for example, if you suspect someone has seen or guessed it. Call 042-111-225-225 immediately if you believe your account may be compromised.
Never store your password in your browser, in a notes app or anywhere on your device.
Transaction alerts are one of the most reliable early-warning systems available. Every time money moves in or out of your account, you get a notification. If you spot a transaction you didn’t authorise, you can act within minutes.
You can subscribe to transaction alerts through the myABL app or by contacting Allied Bank’s phone banking team.
Public Wi-Fi networks are outside your control and can be set up or manipulated to redirect you to fake pages. Where possible, use your own mobile data connection for banking, and never accept a prompt to install software or a certificate in order to use a public network.
After every session on myABL Internet Banking, use the ‘Logout’ option to properly end your session. Do not simply close the browser tab. This is especially important on shared or borrowed devices — though the safest rule is to avoid banking on a device that is not your own.
Keep your phone’s operating system and the myABL app updated, and install applications only from official app stores. Keep your device’s built-in protection enabled, and keep “install unknown apps” or sideloading switched off — this is the delivery route for most banking trojans currently targeting Pakistani customers.
When logging in to myABL Internet Banking, type the address directly into your browser rather than following a link from an email or SMS. Check the spelling of the address carefully — fraudulent sites use addresses that closely resemble the real one.
A padlock icon only means the connection is encrypted; it does not mean the site belongs to Allied Bank. The official domain is abl.com — use this as your reference point.
ATM Safety in Pakistan
Run a quick visual check on any ATM before using it. A skimming device on the card slot will often feel loose, look slightly different from the rest of the machine, or have adhesive residue around it. If anything looks off, use a different machine and report the ATM to the bank.
Do not use a machine where the anti-skimming bezel or card slot appears to have been added to or removed from the unit, and prefer chip insertion over swiping the magnetic stripe where both options are available.
Always cover the keypad with your other hand when entering your PIN, even at ATMs that appear unoccupied. Hidden cameras placed above keypads are one of the most common tools used in ATM fraud.
Never accept help from a bystander, and never allow anyone to assist you if the machine retains your card. Distraction techniques and card-swaps at the ATM remain a common method of theft.
Do not call any number displayed on a sticker on the ATM itself — fraudulent helpline stickers are a known technique. Call the number on the back of your card or Allied Bank’s official helpline instead. Also, do not leave the transaction slip at the machine.
ATMs located inside bank branches tend to be more secure — they’re under surveillance, regularly inspected and more difficult to tamper with than standalone kiosks in less-monitored areas.
Physical Document Security
Digital fraud gets most of the attention, but physical documents are still a meaningful attack vector.
- Shred expired credit and debit cards rather than simply throwing them away. Cut through the chip and magnetic strip.
- Shred bank statements, deposit slips and any paper that carries your account number, CNIC or card details.
- Do not write your PIN on your card or keep it in your wallet alongside your card.
- Do not share a copy or photograph of your Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) with unverified individuals, callers or websites. Legitimate banks and government agencies will not ask you to send CNIC images over WhatsApp, email or social media — treat any such request as a red flag.
What Allied Bank Will Never Ask You
This is worth reading carefully and sharing with anyone in your household who uses banking services:
- Allied Bank will never ask for your myABL username or password via any channel.
- Allied Bank will never ask for your ATM PIN, credit or debit card number, or CVV over the phone, by email or through social media.
- Allied Bank will never ask you to share an OTP with a caller.
- Allied Bank will never contact you from 042-111-225-225.
If someone claiming to be from Allied Bank contacts you and asks for any of the above, end the call immediately and report the incident.
How to Report Banking Fraud in Pakistan
If you suspect fraudulent activity on your Allied Bank account, act immediately:
The information provided in this article is intended for general awareness purposes only. While Allied Bank endeavours to keep this content accurate and up to date, it does not constitute legal, regulatory or financial advice. Customers are encouraged to contact Allied Bank directly at 042-111-225-225 for guidance specific to their accounts or circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is online banking safe in Pakistan?
Yes when used correctly. Banks operating in Pakistan follow strict cybersecurity standards mandated by the State Bank of Pakistan, including encryption, multi-factor authentication and fraud monitoring systems. Your responsibility is to follow good security habits: strong passwords, transaction alerts, official app sources and no sharing of credentials with anyone.
Q. What should I do if I receive a suspicious call or message claiming to be from Allied Bank?
Do not share any information. Allied Bank will never ask for your password, PIN or OTP through a call, SMS or email. End the call or ignore the message, and report the incident to Allied Bank at 111-225-225 or through the Help and Support page.
Q. How can I tell if an ATM has been tampered with?
Look for anything that seems loose, discoloured or out of place around the card slot or keypad. A skimming device is usually an overlay fitted on top of the original hardware. If the card slot feels unusually thick or the keypad feels spongy, move to a different machine and report it to the bank.
Q. Can someone access my account if they have my debit card number?
Your debit card number alone is not enough to access your myABL account. However, combined with your CVV and expiry date, it can be used to make online purchases on platforms that don't require OTP verification. Keep your card details private and enable transaction alerts so you're notified of every transaction.
Q. What is the difference between phishing and vishing?
Phishing uses fake emails, SMSs or websites to steal your information. Vishing (voice phishing) uses phone calls. Both aim to obtain your credentials or card details through deception. Allied Bank will never initiate contact to ask for this information through either channel. Your money is protected by multiple layers of security at Allied Bank — but the most important layer is you. Subscribe to transaction alerts on the myABL app, keep your credentials private and call 111-225-225 the moment something feels wrong. For more on how to stay safe while banking digitally, visit Allied Bank's Customer Awareness page.