Spotting the telltale signs of online scams

I almost miss the Nigerian “princes” who in their dozens a month would offer billions of dollars to help release their father or their mother’s enormous wealth which was being blocked by “wicked enemies”.

They would require a small payment of up to a few thousand rands, and the demands would keep coming and keep growing until the fleecee ran out of dosh, or finally woke up to the fact they had been duped.

Then there was the girlfriend/boyfriend scam: send me money, my love, I want to pay my rent/buy petrol/food/come and visit you but it was stolen – please send more and so on and so forth. Here, here’s a near-naked pic of me.

While the second is vicious emotional blackmail, in the first version many let greed triumph over commonsense and while others may have had a genuine wish to help, it’s not easy to explain away the enticement of a fat reward.

I really wished some had helped, been given the reward, and then had to explain to the South African Revenue Service how it happened that couches full of money were delivered to their home.

ALSO READ: Got a threatening text from Sars? Here’s what to do

This is not to say that since the near demise of the thousands of Nigerian “princes”, scammers have gone away.

Just yesterday, “KeySmith Support” (support@keysmith.com) e-mailed me to let me know I “have a package that needs to be delivered, but it has been suspended due to an incorrect delivery address. Modify your personal information and add a valid delivery address to complete the delivery process”.

It was odd for a number of reasons.

First, aside from the e-mail address above, it tried to present itself as a Postbank e-mail, with the logo linked to the official govpage.co.za, which is weird because no government drone would go to that much effort instead of just embedding it in the e-mail.

Second, on Monday 19733095235@8×8.com told me my archive mailbox was full, and went on to say I could no longer receive messages to my mailbox. Interesting, because how did its e-mail arrive….

ALSO READ: Dr Matthew’s controversy highlights gullibility in SA

It then wanted me to click on another link to “delete unwanted item mailboxes”.

Sure, buddy, I’m going to let an outsider who sent an unsolicited e-mail gain access to my e-mail and PC.

And even if it had purported to come from my software provider, it would not have arrived on my work e-mail.

Then there were the multiple e-mails purporting to be from a work e-mail address which doesn’t exist warning me my e-mail account would expire also on Monday, as well as last week Thursday. Guys, which is it, Monday or Thursday? Make up your minds.

Then there was the one from the “Outlook Team” using my own e-mail address telling me my mailbox was full. Nope, because I cleared my outlook out a couple of months ago, so sorry for you.

ALSO READ: Student lured online rescued after R30k ransom request

Last week Tuesday, our non-existent e-mail sent another one, saying my account would be “disconnected from sending or receiving mails from other users. because you continually neglect to resolve or install My citizen.co.za App on Android & iPhone errors on your mail (sic). You need to resolve the errors or your account will be disconnected today”.

Oddly, I’m still here.

Moral of the story? Banks will never ask you for your ID number and passwords. Trust your gut and if things don’t match up, walk away and junk dodgy e-mails.

For the record, our Citizen app is pretty cool, and is available for IOS and Android phones on the Apple and Google Play sites.

ALSO READ: Task team to give report on ‘poor treatment and delays’ at UIF within a week