SHOCKING statistics by the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) indicate that SA ranks the world’s third highest cybercrime victims.
More than R2.2-billion is lost in internet fraud attacks annually.
African Bank Chief Information Officer, Hendus Venter, added 11% of people open malicious attachments or click on bad links in phishing emails and 80% of software attacks come from phishing.
‘Every day hundreds of phishing scams are floating around on emails and SMS,’ said Venter.
‘This, phishing, is when criminals pretending to be a trustworthy entity use a form of electronic communication, either SMS or email, to try and extract sensitive information.
‘This information can include usernames, passwords, credit card details and sometimes, indirectly, money, often for malicious reasons.
‘Your first line of defence against these scams is to be suspicious of everything you receive electronically.
‘Don not trust or open any communication that you may have a moment’s doubt about.
‘Rather get in touch with the company in question to check whether they actually sent it.
‘Never click on the link to get hold of the company in question.’
Read the full story in the ZO Weekend edition.
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