AVBOB has confirmed that its digital platforms were disrupted by a cyber attack, forcing the funeral benefits provider to move branch operations to manual processes while technical teams work to restore its systems.
The mutual assurance society, which serves more than 5.5 million South African policyholders, said the incident was discovered on 30 May. A public statement confirming the cyber attack was issued on Monday, 8 June.
According to AVBOB, the disruption has affected digital services linked to online payments, claims registration and funeral arrangement support. While more than 100 AVBOB branches across South Africa remain open, customers may experience delays as staff process requests manually.
The outage affects people who are often dealing with urgent and emotional situations, including families arranging funerals, policyholders settling claims after a death, and customers trying to keep active policies up to date.
AVBOB general manager for corporate affairs, Adriaan Bester, said the matter is being treated with urgency.
“The matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness, and our technical teams, together with specialist partners, are working around the clock to restore functionality,” Bester said.
Why UbuntuGuard Is Warning Policyholders
UbuntuGuard has warned that the cyber attack creates a serious scam risk for AVBOB customers, especially those who may already be under emotional pressure.
When trusted platforms go offline, scammers often use the confusion to send fake SMS messages, WhatsApp links or emails that appear to come from the affected company. These links may be designed to steal banking details, capture login information or install malware on a victim’s device.
AVBOB has specifically warned policyholders to be careful of payment links sent by message. The company has made it clear that customers should not trust random payment links received through SMS or WhatsApp.
If you are worried that your details may have been exposed or used in a scam, you can use UbuntuGuard’s Hack Check tool to check whether your information may be at risk.
What Policyholders Should Do
AVBOB customers should avoid clicking on any payment link received by message, even if it appears to mention AVBOB or looks official.
Instead, customers should go directly to the official AVBOB website or contact their nearest AVBOB branch by phone to confirm any payment, claim or policy information.
This is especially important because scammers often target people during stressful moments. A grieving family member trying to arrange a funeral may not have the time or mental space to carefully inspect a suspicious link.
UbuntuGuard’s advice is simple: do not rely on links sent to you during a cyber incident. Go directly to the official source yourself, and if you are concerned about your personal information, run a check through the UbuntuGuard Hack Check.
Are Customers’ Bank Accounts Safe?
AVBOB said it does not have access to customers’ bank account PIN codes or passwords. This means customer bank accounts are not directly exposed through AVBOB’s internal systems.
However, the bigger danger is phishing. A fake payment link can trick a customer into entering banking information, card details or login credentials on a fraudulent website.
That is why policyholders should treat any unexpected payment message as suspicious. Cyber criminals rely on panic, urgency and confusion to make people act before they think.
Anyone who suspects they may have clicked on a suspicious link should check their details, change important passwords, and monitor their accounts closely. UbuntuGuard’s Hack Check tool can help users take the first step in checking whether their information may be exposed.
Key Details About the AVBOB Cyber Attack
AVBOB said investigations are still underway to determine the full nature and extent of the cyber attack, including whether any personal information may have been affected.
Bester said progress has been made, but the restoration work is still ongoing.
“While investigations are still underway to determine the full nature and extent of the incident, including whether any personal information may have been impacted, we can confirm that steady progress has already been made. Work continues at a rapid pace to restore functionality as quickly and safely as possible,” he said.
AVBOB has not disclosed who was behind the attack or whether a ransom demand was made.
The company has indicated that systems are expected to be restored in days rather than weeks, but no exact timeline has been confirmed. AVBOB also said policyholders will not be negatively affected if payments are delayed during the outage.
Manual Branch Services Continue
While AVBOB’s digital platforms remain affected, customers can still contact or visit their nearest branch for assistance with funeral services, claims and policy matters.
The company has asked customers for patience while its teams and cybersecurity specialists continue working to restore normal operations.
The incident comes during a period of increased cyber attacks against South African organisations, showing why individuals and businesses need to take cybersecurity more seriously.
UbuntuGuard urges South Africans to stay alert, avoid clicking suspicious links and verify all payment requests directly with the organisation involved.
Final Warning
If you or someone in your family has an AVBOB policy, do not click on payment links sent by SMS, WhatsApp or email.
Go directly to AVBOB’s official website or contact your nearest branch before making any payment.
Cyber criminals move fast during confusion. Double-check before you pay.
If you are worried that your information may have been compromised, use the UbuntuGuard Hack Check to check your exposure risk.
