Incidents relating to cyber crime are increasing at a rate conventional law enforcement is completely unequipped to handle or prevent. As a neighbourhood watch, we find this most concerning as, up to now, our primary focus has been to help protect our community members from threats that lurk outside the safety of their homes. The threat of crime that is perpetrated online, however, is not deterred by security gates or alarms.
Onverwag has identified a need for information sessions that answer the community’s questions about how to spot online security threats and safely avoid their traps. We are hosting hour-long sessions in smaller groups to equip community members with the necessary skills to spot a scam and report it to the correct authorities.
The plan is to educate attendees on safe online banking and what to do when you have inadvertently fallen prey to a nefarious scheme. We also cover the safety features on your cell phone, setting secure passwords (as well as where to store them), and how to respond to a scammer on the phone.
Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Never share personal details with a stranger on the phone. Not even if they are able to provide you with some details about yourself. They have gained some of your information by dishonest means in order to make themselves seem legitimate.
- Information shared online (social media posts, for example) can be used to guess your passwords. Be selective about what you post and set your profile to ‘private’.
- Don’t buy anything on Facebook (or on the internet, in general) unless it is from a well-known company.
- Don’t pay for anything unless you have seen the product with your own eyes. This includes items like; cars, pets, furniture, property, and accommodation, to name a few.
- Tell any caller claiming to represent a bank / shop that you will go to your nearest branch in order to resolve the issue. The issue they are calling about is likely fake.
- Report a scam or suspicious activity to the SAPS immediately.