As more people use the internet for a range of services on a daily basis, fraudsters are also increasingly stealing people’s credentials and money. Using smart devices, phones and computers to log into various platforms has left many people at risk of facing fraud attempts.
It’s important to stay alert to the latest scams as well as how to avoid them. In South Africa numerous people are becoming more familiar with using technology for their daily communication, banking and business needs. There has also been a spike in fraudulent activities affecting the country’s citizens.
Here are a few ways to avoid fraud in South Africa:
Do online searches
Take full advantage of the internet. Type a company or product name into a search engine with words like “review”, “complaint” or “scam”. The results that come up will give you a good idea of how reputable the company you are using is.
Never pay upfront fees
Don’t pay in advance for credit card offers, loan offers, a job or mortgage assistance.
Use strong passwords
Create strong passwords that are long and unique, which also use a mix of random numbers and lower and upper case letters.
Avoid suspicious emails
Don’t open unknown emails. Before you open emails, make sure that you check for company email addresses. Phishing is one of the most popular types of fraud in South Africa. Keep an eye out for emails with spelling or grammatical errors. These often indicate scam emails.
Check your bank statements
Be sure to check your bank statement regularly so that you can spot any suspicious activity on your account.
Never share your login details
Your bank will never ask you for your log in details. If you receive any correspondence asking you to send your PIN or login details, consider this a scam.