How to spot a scam
Scam artists are out there and they are waiting for the right moment to take you for a ride that could leave you without a cent.
DO you have a feeling that something is not quite right?
Scam artists are out there and they are waiting for the right moment to take you for a ride that could leave you without a cent.
Here’s how to see an online scam coming:
· You are offered money for nothing. All you have to do is click on a link, download an attachment or provide some personal information.
· The e-mail or SMS is not personalised. You are addressed as Sir, Madam or Customer. Communication from legitimate sources is more likely to be personalised.
· You are pressurised into responding. This tactic is often used in lottery, inheritance and competition scams and aims to pressure you to reply before you have time to think. Alternatively scammers can try to scare you into providing information and threaten to close an account or suspend a service if information is not quickly provided. If in doubt, always first check with the company.
· Personal or account information is required. Do not respond to an e-mail asking for personal or financial details and never click on a link to provide these details. If you need to transact or want to open an account, type the company’s address into your browser.
· The e-mail or SMS you received is from an unknown sender or someone with whom you have never done business.
· You are urged to open an attachment. If your bank has never sent you an attachment before, be suspicious. Most financial institutions or retailers do not send attachments. High risk attachment file types include: .exe, .scr, .zip, .com, .bat.
