Rising phishing cybercrime trend: what you should know

Multiple stakeholders at the Brakpan SAPS monthly stakeholders meeting noted that phishing scams and social media hacks are on the rise.

Constable Audrey Buthelezi, the station’s communications officer, shared tips on how to spot and avoid phishing scams.

“It has come to the SAPS attention that criminals are making efforts to become more technologically advanced because of businesses and individuals becoming reliant and comfortable on the internet,” she explained.

“Phishing is a scam where criminals deceive people into revealing sensitive information by pretending to be reputable organisations, using emails, text messages and phone calls,” she continues.

According to Buthelezi, people can detect phishing scammers by always checking for spelling errors in the names or email addresses or messages.

Phishing bait often has a sense of emergency or provides an offer too good to be true. They generate false emergencies, like a banking phisher claiming fraudulent activity on your account and asking you to verify your banking details.

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They can also claim that you have received a free Takealot, Vodacom, Temu or other vouchers, and ask you to enter your cell number, email address, personal information or ‘click a link to claim’. They spread these links by asking you to share your win with your contacts before you can claim your prize.

“Everyone can protect themselves by avoiding opening questionable emails, suspicious links, keeping your financial information private, not opening pop-up adverts, using spam filters on their emails and messages, and installing reputable security software on their devices,“ Buthelezi explains.

Also note that your bank will never ask for details over the phone and will often communicate actual fraudulent activity through your designated banking app, and request that you go to a branch to resolve it.

A company will never randomly select you to win a prize unless you have entered a draw in-store or through their official portal, such as the Takealot app, the My Vodacom app, or the official website.

Criminals can spoof web domains, however, so when you go to a company’s website, look for spelling errors in the link. If the last bit adds up, such as .com for a corporate website, .gov for government, .co.za for South African companies, .org for non-profit organisations or .ac.za for academic institutions.

If a link starts with https, it is usually secure, but if it only starts with http, it can be regarded as suspicious.

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If you bought an international package through a portal such as Etsy, Temu, Amazon, Shein, Wish or other well-known online stores, always check notifications on the designated apps for requests to pay customs or shipping.

Do not click on links making these requests if you’ve received an email, text message, or social media instant message.

Do not respond to messages on social media asking for money, claiming to be app support, or asking you to click on any links.

Report them as spam, or if it comes from a person known to you, contact them on a different platform to let them know someone hacked their account.

App support will only contact you through your push notifications and your email. Confirm you have been contacted through both portals, then use the official customer support portal to contact social media about the next steps.

Do not click links left in the comments on social media posts, and as a general rule, do not trust online product or service listings.

If you buy something from social media, make sure you are physically holding the item or have received the service before you pay money, and always meet sellers in crowded public places.

“We appeal to proprietors to raise phishing awareness by conducting security training for employees and urge individuals to trust their first instinct if something is suspicious.

“The minute you have doubt, immediately close the message and delete it,” Buthelezi concludes.