Local residents targeted by cybercriminals
Phishing, vishing and SMishing are all methods of obtaining passwords, ID numbers and bank card details by tricking clients into believing that they are dealing with banks or legitimate companies.
Cybercriminals are using a number of tricks to scam local residents out of their money, police said on Tuesday.
According to Rietgat police spokesperson Captain Stephen Maluleka, several community members have reported they had been robbed through cyber scams recently.
Maluleka said some of the residents complained about receiving SMSes infected with malware causing their airtime to disappear and, in some cases, their cellphone banking details to be compromised.
Cybercriminals employ a variety of methods to steal data and money from local residents, said Maluleka.
“The first is phishing attacks where they use a blanket approach, sending malicious emails, SMSes or files to as many users as possible. It is obviously successful because cybercriminals are still using this method.”
Vishing is when a fraudster phones their victim posing, for example, as a bank official or service provider.
Scammers manipulate victims into disclosing confidential information, while leading them to believe they are speaking to the bank or service provider.
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This information is then used to defraud the victim.
SMishing, short for “SMS phishing” is like phishing, except that a user is tricked into downloading malware onto their mobile device.
This is then used to fraudulently obtain sensitive information by sending out text messages, asking users to call a number or click on a link.
Phishing, vishing and SMishing are all methods of obtaining passwords, ID numbers and bank card details by tricking clients into believing that they are dealing with trusted sources such as banks or legitimate companies.
“Criminals will use these techniques in the hope of tricking recipients into disclosing their personal information on bogus online platforms or on spoofed websites,” said South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) CEO Kalyani Pillay.
“All it takes is a few duped individuals to make phishing a profitable business for cybercriminals.”
The SAPS and Sabric offer the following tips to users:
• Do not click on links or icons in unsolicited emails.
• Never reply to these emails. Delete them immediately.
• Do not believe the content of unsolicited emails blindly. If you are concerned about what is being alleged in the email, use your own contact details to contact the sender and confirm.
• Always type in the URL for your bank in the address bar of your internet browser if you need to access your bank’s website.
• Check that you are on your bank’s genuine website before inputting any personal information.
• Make sure you are not on a spoof site by clicking on the security icon on your browser toolbar to see that the URL begins with https rather than http.
• Check for a closed green padlock next to the URL of the website. A green padlock shows that your connection with the website is secured and encrypted.
• If you think that you might have been compromised, contact your bank immediately.
• Create complicated passwords that are not easy to decipher and change them often.
• Banks will never ask you to confirm your confidential information over the phone.
• If you receive a phone call requesting confidential or personal information, do not respond and end the call.
• If you receive an OTP (one-time pin) on your phone without having transacted yourself, it was likely prompted by a fraudster using your personal information. Do not provide the OTP telephonically to anyone. Contact your bank immediately to alert them about the possibility that your information may have been compromised.
• If you lose mobile connectivity under circumstances where you are usually connected, check whether you may have been the victim of a SIM swap.
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