HACKERS are working overtime, currently worming their way into companies accounts. This is according to the SAPS in Malvern. The modus is that the hacker gets into a company’s accounts and then sends e-mails to the company’s clients informing them that the company had changed their banking details.
“The new bank details are then given to the client via e-mail and the client is asked to deposit future payments into that account,” stated Corporate Communication Officer, W/O Radhika Marimuthu. Two cases of fraud in this manner have been reported recently from the Malvern area. In the first case, a sum of R27 850 was deposited into the fraudulent account and in the second, R100 000.
“Service providers are requested to contact the company personally in the event of them receiving emails of this nature. A personal visit to the company’s human resource department will also be prudent to verify the e-mail before depositing monies into the account,” stated W/O Marimuthu. Although logos of the organisations mentioned in the e-mails may seem correct or professionally drafted they may be small telltale signs of distortion.
Tips to recognise common scams: The e-mail requestor asks for bank account information, credit card numbers, driver’s licence number, passport number, information about members of your family, and other personal information. The e-mail advises that you have won a prize – even though you are not aware of having entered any competition run by the prize promoters.
The e-mail may be personally addressed to you but it has been posted using bulk mail sending facilities to many others locally and internationally. Check the wording of the letter, you may notice spelling errors and exaggerations, which should alert you to the offer being too good to be true.
Logos of the organisations mentioned in the letter, such as the prize-givers, may not seem correct or professionally drafted. The names of persons used as senders of the e-mails are common.
