Cybercrime warning: Fake ‘remittance due’ message doing the rounds

South Africans are warned of a “fraudulent alert message” which cites Paul Nel, a Department of Justice and Constitutional Development official, as its author.

“It further alludes to an order which was granted against the recipient in connection with remittance due to his or her creditors”, spokesperson Steve Mahlangu said on Saturday.

Beware latest cybercrime incident

Fake DOJCD warning

Mahlangu said the department is aware of the message and cautions the public that “the notice is by its nature fraudulent and should be ignored”.

“Our Information Technology [department] is aware of this and has confirmed that the message has originated outside the Departmental information systems.”

Mahlangu said the South African Police Service (SAPS) cybercrime unit is investigating the incident and establishing from where the message originated.

The department apologised for any inconvenience caused and called on anyone with information about the fake notice is asked to contact SAPS

NOW READ: Five tips for surfing the internet safely

What is cybercrime

Cybercrime is any unlawful act using a computer program or data storage system to access sensitive information without consent.

Even though it has been an issue for years but was accelerated by more than 600% during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the World Economic Forum Global Risk Report 2022, 95% of cybersecurity issues can be traced to Human error.

Unfortunately, lacklustre cybersecurity systems add to increase of phishing attacks, targeted fraudulent communication and social engineering.

SA’s Cybercrime Bill

When President Ramaphosa signed the Cybercrimes Bill into law back in June 2021, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, a full-service law firm, provided clarity on the types of cybercrimes addressed by the new act:

• Hacking or unlawfully and intentionally accessing data,  a computer program, data storage medium or computer system.
• Interception of data without consent. This includes the acquisition, viewing, capturing or copying of data of a non-public nature.
• Cyber fraud includes any fraud committed by means of data or a computer program or through any interference with data, a computer program, a computer data storage medium or computer system.
• Cyber forgery or cyber uttering which pertains to the creation of falsified data with the intention to defraud.
• Malicious communications include the distribution of data messages with the intention to incite the causing of damage to any property belonging to, or to incite violence against, or to threaten a person or group of persons, including the distribution of “revenge porn”.

Compiled by Cheryl Kahla.