Scams can cost people a lot of money and cause a great deal of distress. With that in mind, we have some tips to help protect yourself and your family from clever con-artists…
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 cell-phone messages that look like they come from trusted sources, such as banks or legitimate companies.
Typically, these emails or cell-phone messages request that users click on a link in the email, which will direct users to a spoofed website – a site designed to fool users into thinking it is legitimate – to obtain, verify or update contact details or other sensitive financial information. These emails and messages also contain a telephone number and contact person you should call, as you are promised you could win large sums of money.
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What you should do to prevent falling victim to scams and fraud:
- Never respond to emails or cell-phone messages appearing to be from your bank, which request your personal details. Remember that 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 them down or share them.
- Do not save your Internet banking password on your desktop.
- Do not leave your computer unattended after you have entered your Internet banking password.
- Always log off or sign off at the end of a session.
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