Cloetesville police are warning locals to sharpen up their online security after a recent rise in digital-banking fraud.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Zenobia Sedeman says there has been a significant rise in online-based crime reported at the local station.
“One should be as careful with your online security as you are with your security at home,” she says. “If you are the victim of an online crime you should report it to your local police station. Cybercrime, such as online fraud, is still a crime and must be reported in the same way as any crime that needs to be investigated. Fraud has been the most frequently-recorded type of financial crime in South Africa.”
How to protect yourself from fraud and scams:
• Never respond to emails or cellphone messages appearing to be from your bank, which request your personal details. Remember, no bank will ever ask you to confirm or update your account details by email.
• Never provide your online ID, password or pin to anyone, and never write these down or share them.
• Do not save your internet banking password on your desktop.
• Avoid doing internet banking in public areas such as internet cafés, or on any computer that can be accessed by people you do not know.
• Provide your credit card details only to reputable companies.
• Never send money or give credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust.
• Phishing and fraud scams are methods of deceitfully obtaining personal information such as passwords, identity numbers and credit card details by calling, sending emails or cellphone messages that look as if they come from trusted sources, such as banks or legitimate companies.
“We urge the community to be very vigilant when doing transactions or buying goods (market place),” Sedeman implores.
