As we continue shopping online and even get ready for the school year, scammers do not sleep or rest.
They will be working tirelessly in efforts to find your vulnerability and the door left open for hacking.
Through a series of stories throughout the year, IOL highlighted the dangers of being hacked through various platforms, from WhatsApp to Cryptocurrencies.
However, December and even January marks a season to be more vigilant with personal finances, when shopping online.
Hackers prey on vulnerable internet users amid the bustling online purchases, which noted a rise throughout the festive season, mainly done via credit or debit cards.
Despite warnings, scams in the present day have become more difficult to identify, given the elaborate approach taken by scammers, leaving even some of the most tech-savvy digital shoppers vulnerable.
Phishing
Pronounced “fishing”, using this method, hackers attempt to gain access to your finances or personal information, through various forms of communication, like SMS, WhatsApp or over the telephone.
Over the festive season, phishing becomes more prevalent through “professionally” designed websites, which become difficult to recognise as they take an authentic appearance, hard to distinguish from the original.
Another means of mobile communication prone to phishing are SMSes. Hackers often use foreign numbers, as marketing and other legitimate organisations using SMSes, often use service numbers that are hard to recognise.
Cryptocurrencies
Don't expect the forex traders with flashy cars to take a break during the festive season, either!
IOL has mentioned that all forex opportunities should be taken with a pinch of salt. This is because the festive season ushers in the connotation that most people have more money, thanks to 13th cheques and year-end bonuses for those lucky enough.
Raise red flags at any suspicious purchases, offers to assist or help “sign you up” through cryptocurrencies. Most of these “investments” are often revealed as scams, months down the line. At the same time, hackers use cryptocurrencies to get away with the scam without being traced.
What a scam looks like (Please, do not try this at home)
Typically, even elaborate scams might not require much effort from hackers and can initially appear innocent.
In this example of an SMS scam making the rounds, the wording remains simple but enticing enough to make the recipient inquisitive enough to click through. This is where users should ignore and delete such a message. Do not open any foreign links sent via SMS.
As seen in the scam examples above, this SMS is the second attempt to attain personal information for a shipment never ordered – complete with its own tracking code and click-through link.
However, while IOL strongly discourages opening such links, here's what happens to users who do:
– Opening such a link sent via SMS takes users to a page such as this, with the same tracking visible from the received SMS.
– After clicking “Track your delivery”.
The following page states the package is being withheld pending import duties with a fee of R40.
– After clicking “Schedule Delivery Now”.
The next page requests a delivery method.
– The fourth step requests the delivery location.
– The fifth step requests a delivery time.
– The last step of this process shows the Shipping Confirmation, including the date, time and fee.
– Any internet user wary of their online security won’t pass the page below.
The final page is where scamming takes place. The page below is now requesting personal information, as well as banking information.
While the fee costs R40, after an unsuspecting victim shares the requested information, hackers can have a field day by choosing the amount they want to take from the given banking information.
It is important to point out that by this stage, the URL has changed, bearing no resemblance to the previous page.
How to avoid potential scams
– Look out for inconsistent text or images on websites that could be scams. Meanwhile, if presented with a cryptocurrency investment opportunity, bear in mind that even well-designed sites cannot promise authenticity, especially if they only transact in cryptocurrency.
– Never provide personal information or payment to anyone you do not know, or have not dealt with previously, such as trusted e-commerce sites.
– Google can be useful, especially for reviews on potential investments.
– Enable two-step authentication for websites you might make use of that offer the functionality. If you cannot, frequently change your password to keep your account secure, especially if you identify a potential breach.
– Never open any unknown links, on any platform.
IOL Tech