Newcastle SAPS has issued safety awareness tips to help prevent people from falling victim to fraud and scams.
Scams can cost people a lot of money and cause a great deal of distress. The simple tips below will help you protect yourself and your family from scams.
Phishing and fraud scams are methods of deceitfully obtaining personal information such as passwords, identity numbers and credit card details by calling, sending emails or cell phone messages which look like they come from trusted sources, such as banks or legitimate companies.
Typically, these emails or cell phone messages request users click on a link in the email, which will direct users to a spoofed website – a site designed to fool users into thinking it is legitimate – to obtain, verify or update contact details or other sensitive financial information.
These emails and messages also contain a telephone number and contact person who you should call, as you are promised you could win large sums of money.
What you should do to prevent falling victim to scams and fraud:
- Never respond to emails or cell phone messages appearing to be from your bank, which request your personal details. Remember – no bank will ask you to confirm or update your account details by email.
- Never provide your online ID, password or PIN to anyone and never write them down or share them.
- Do not save your internet banking password on your desktop.
- Do not leave your computer unattended after you have entered your Internet banking password.
- Always log off or sign off at the end of a session.
- Avoid Internet banking at places like Internet cafés, or any computer which can be accessed by people you do not know.
- Change your PIN and passwords frequently.
- Put sensible transaction limits on your accounts.
- Only provide your credit card details to reputable companies.
- If it looks too good to be true, it usually is.
Job scams:
- Don’t fall victim to any fake job scams
- If you are offered a job you haven’t applied for, without having been interviewed, it is clearly a job scam.
- Check the email address. Job scammers tend to send emails from free providers such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail. A real company, acting in good faith, will never use a free email provider.
- Be careful of any company asking for an advance payment of any sort when applying for a job (for flights, registration fees etc.). Do not send them any payment. Never give out your bank details and do not provide them with personal details.
NEVER send money or give credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust.
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Email: Reveshni Douglas (Editor) at reveshni@caxton.co.za
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