By Jacky Fick, head of Cell C’s Forensic Services
Every few months, concerns are raised around online scams and theft as a new wave of victims come forward. It can leave one feeling very vulnerable and uncertain. But a little knowledge goes a long way in this fight.
Secure your phone
Your phone can open a lot of doors for cyber criminals. Once they have their hands on things like phone numbers and home addresses, they can find ways to hijack your financial accounts. Make sure you lock your phone with a password, swipe gesture or fingerprint reader. If the phone is stolen, it can be remotely wiped and even disabled. This depends on the type of phone, but can also be done with third-party apps if they are installed.
Beware of phishing
A phishing email could offer supposed LOTTO winnings, unclaimed tax refunds or a surprise inheritance. Phishing often mimics banks: an SMS offering a raise in a credit card limit or a formal email requesting an update of your details. Whatever the message, the goal is to steal information by posing as something else.
The first rule is that if you get an offer that seems too good, then it is. Always be suspicious. Secondly, check the source. If the message looks like it came from a bank, call the bank to check. And thirdly, never share personal information with someone who contacted you. If they called you, call back using the official company hotline number, not a number that they provide.
Don’t click on links in emails or instant messages that look suspicious. Delete them immediately. Institutions such as banks will not request personal information in that way. They will request you visit a branch.
Avoiding sim swaps
You cannot add beneficiaries or do certain transfers without a phone to supply one-time pins or approval. This is why sim card swaps are so attractive to criminals: they represent the keys to the city.
The number on a phone is based on the sim card inside. But that number can be electronically transferred to another sim. Anyone who has held onto their number for several years will probably have done a sim swap. It’s a legitimate service, but can be manipulated to make an unauthorised swap. This is often done over the phone, with a criminal posing as the sim card’s owner. It’s important to know that sim swaps happen at an advanced stage of the crime. If they are attempting a sim swap, it means they already have things like banking details. They may also have enough personal information to try and get through the security questions. This is why phishing is so dangerous: because it can open the door to this kind of thing.
Common sense still applies
- Avoid installing unofficial apps: these can be used to sneak bad software onto your device. Use the official app stores, where apps are checked and secure.
- Apply patches to software, particularly updates to your phone’s system. These often contain fixes for problems that criminals could use to access your information.
- Email is not the only danger. Any type of link or file attachment can be dangerous. If you receive offers or request for information over SMS, WhatsApp, MMS or other means, don’t click on any link it contains. Delete the message instead.
- Take care with public WiFi and unsecured internet connections. Information sent over such networks can be intercepted.
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