Heino Gevers, customer experience manager at Mimecast South Africa, writes:
South Africa’s shoppers are growing more comfortable with the idea of online shopping. But is our level of education about the associated risks keeping pace? Considering the rising trends of local data breaches and the number of consumers falling victim to cybercrime, it seems not.
Here are a few tips for staying out of the red this Black Friday:
- Think before you share
Cyberattacks are not just random anymore. They are well-researched and usually architected using the information you share online. Personal details like where you work, job title, who your friends are and what you are doing, are all over social media sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. Hackers use these sites to gather intel on unsuspecting victims – this is called social engineering
- Keep your eyes peeled for dodgy URLs
Cybercriminals are getting more advanced in their efforts to trick you into entering your financial details on unsecured websites or convincing you to click on an innocent-looking link that downloads malicious software onto your device. Even if you receive a branded email, from what looks like a legitimate retailer with their logos and fonts, it could be a scam. Always type a retailer’s address into your browser to avoid being redirected to a fake site. And be on the lookout for the all-important https:// (as opposed to https://). The S stands for secure – so that one little letter is crucial to your online safety
- Make use of alternative (and safer) payment methods
Every time you enter your credit or debit card details into an online form is a chance for those details to be intercepted by cybercriminals. Set up a dedicated online shopping account with strict credit and overdraft limits, with only enough money to buy what you need.
- If it seems suspicious, it probably is
Keep track of retailers you’re expecting a shipment from. If you receive an email that contains tracking information from a courier service or retailer you haven’t used, do not click on the tracking URL. This is a malicious link disguised as something familiar. The same goes for attachments – these could contain a malicious code. Again, rather type the courier service website in manually to avoid being sent to a fake site
- If you think you’ve fallen victim to cybercrime – act fast
Report it to the police, your bank and the business you thought you were buying from.
You can write to our editor by emailing daniellap@caxton.co.za
