The South African Insurance Association (SAIA) has called for consumers to exercise extreme caution while shopping online over the period leading to and after the festive season.
Consumers should beware of fake sites, which look like authentic companies, false deals with massive discounts or promotions, or even fake calls claiming to be from their bank.
With many South Africans utilising online shopping, made more rampant during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns – to avoid the risk of contracting the coronavirus, and also taking advantage of the convenience of shopping from anywhere, online shopping has exposed consumers to cybercrime attacks.
Pamela Ramagaga, GM of insurance risks at SAIA, says criminals have also targeted those working from home where company IT security protection is not in place, leaving staff and companies exposed.
“During lockdown, cybercrime increased. The most common methods used were phishing, ransomware, spam, and cyberbullying. Lately, cybercriminals have infiltrated WhatsApp numbers and are scamming unsuspecting individuals through the messaging app.
“The public should be vigilant and exercise caution, for instance getting unfamiliar emails with links and attachments, where the user will try opening the email attachment which may be affected with a virus. The virus has the potential to shut down entire systems.”
The holiday period is a goldmine for cybercriminals who see multiple opportunities to catch unaware shoppers, particularly online. Cybercriminals are ready to exploit blind spots during the festive season.
Ramagaga offers these tips to avoid falling victim to holiday scams:
* Look at the website’s address, or URL. If it starts with “https” it is a secure site; the “s” stands for secure.
* Look for grammar mistakes and see if there is contact information on the site. A phone number, address, or other verifiable information can show it is a legitimate business.
* Be especially careful if you spot offers in your social media channels that look too good to be true, it’s most likely a trick, not a treat.
* Don’t wait for your statements to come at the end of the month. Go online regularly during the holiday season and look at electronic statements for your credit card, debit card, and cheque accounts. Look for any fraudulent charges, even originating from payment sites. Always keep track of your purchases online, and you will know straight away if there are any anomalies in your account.
* Use strong passwords that are a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols, for example: Ktspl@1%. Most accounts require an eight-character password and 12 characters for email and financial accounts. Avoid using the same password for several different accounts.
* Use strong authentication tools such as two-factor authentication for key accounts like email, banking, and social media — especially if you are using your mobile devices.
* Be careful what you share. Think about what you post because it can last a lifetime.
SAIA encourages the public and insurance policyholders to be extra vigilant and to take due care in all online shopping activities for their safety and that of others.
“Securing your assets through adequate insurance cover is something within your control and is your safety net should an insured event occur. As you prepare to go on holiday and are excited to meet with friends and family, bear in mind that there could be someone waiting to take advantage of your hard-earned belongings.
“It is vital that you ensure that your belongings are protected from any possible physical risks or exposures before you go on holiday,” concludes Ramagaga.