Cybercrime expert, Dr Craig Pederson, says online criminals are using advanced methods to scam people, such SIM swopping, and deep-fake audio and video manipulations. Picture: File
Cybercrime expert, Dr Craig Pederson, is warning South Africans to be on the look for online scams this festive season as cybercrime continues to surge.
He highlighted that swindlers have infiltrated the cybercrime market, and gather sensitive information due to a weakness in personal security.
“It would probably take me between five and 10 minutes to gain access to a significant amount of your personal information, more than you would be comfortable with,” said Pederson.
Cyber criminals have moved on to use sophisticated methods to defraud people, such as social engineering scams, deep-fake audio and video manipulations, among others.
Pederson revealed that South Africa is too close to be considered the cybercrime capital of the world.
“These tactics not only impact individual consumers, but also put significant strain on companies trying to protect sensitive information.
“In the last seven years, we have seen a dramatic increase in both the volume of cybercrimes, and the variety of types of cybercrime perpetrated in South Africa,” said Pederson.
SIM swopping and phone theft have become the most common scam swindlers use to defraud people.
Fraudsters duplicate a person’s SIM card, or steal their phone to access sensitive accounts.
“Once they have the device, they bypass banking apps’ security by accessing One-Time Pins (OTPs) or verification codes,” said Pederson.
He cited a victim of this common scam, Shashi Naidoo, who lost over R500 000 following theft of her phone.
An online safety educator, Margaret*, fell victim to phishing and fake website scams twice.
These types of scams lure users to seemingly legitimate websites, which are fraudulent.
“Victims who fall for these sites often enter personal and banking details, which scammers can then use for identity theft or unauthorised transactions,” said Pederson.
Margaret* blamed herself for being scammed, especially as a professional in the cybersecurity field.
“I felt like an absolute idiot. I was angry with myself because I know this stuff, and it still happened to me,” she said.
Pederson further alerted that scammers are increasingly targeting employees.
“For instance, many businesses have reported scammers impersonating legitimate vendors that the company regularly deals with, submitting fake invoices or altering banking details on actual invoices. This often results in funds being transferred into scam accounts,” he said.
He cautioned companies to be wary of advanced technology used to swindle businesses.
Tips to stay safe from cybercrime:
1. Pederson advised people to ensure the use of a two-factor authentication (2FA) for all social media apps.
“This provides an added layer of security that is crucial to prevent unauthorised access,” he said.
2. Strong and unique passwords are essential to digital security.
“Changing passwords every six months and using a password manager to keep track securely,” said Pederson.
3. Spotting red flags in a scam can be tricky, but most have warning signs. Hence, people should pay attention to detail, which would prevent potential monetary losses.
“For instance, fake websites may crash or have inconsistencies,” said Pederson.
4. He emphasised the importance of being alert to emerging scams.
“Education and awareness are the best defences against cybercrime. Ultimately, we have got to evolve with the risks associated with technology, and knowledge remains your best defence,” said Pederson.
The Star
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