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Alert Police Immediately to Report Scams
Phishing and OTP vishing scams dominate the list of reported scams in the banking industry, as revealed by the recent report from the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabrics) at the close of 2022.
The banking sector and cellphone service providers frequently encounter these types of scams being reported.
These scams employ deceptive tactics to trick individuals into divulging their personal information to fraudsters.
For instance in OTP (one-time pin) scams, a user might receive a phone call falsely claiming that an unauthorised SIM swap is being attempted on their mobile number.
The caller then requests the user to provide them with the OTP received via SMS, which the scammers exploit to access the user’s accounts.
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SCAMMERS PRESENT THEMSELVES AS HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL AND CONVINCING.
The OTP received is a genuine PIN that is generated exclusively when someone tries to access an account.
The scammers misuse the OTP to gain unauthorised access to the victim’s account, allowing them to purchase and transfer the victim’s points, airtime, or data for their own benefit.
Johan van Dyk, the spokesperson for Tshwane district SAPS, urged victims to promptly report such scams to both their service provider and the police.
“They should retain all relevant documentation from their service providers, including SMSs or other messages received, OTPs, or SIM swap notifications, so that the police can initiate a fraud case for investigation,” he advised.
BEWARE OF SUSPICIOUS SERVICE PROVIDERS
Van Dyk emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant and sceptical of individuals claiming to represent service providers, especially if one has not initiated contact with them.
“If you receive a message purporting to be from your service provider, do not click on any links or share the OTP with anyone over the phone,” he cautioned.
“Clicking on a link may grant scammers access to your mobile device or even your computer. If you receive such a message, it is advisable to visit your service provider’s physical store or call the official service provider’s call centre.”
He further warned against trusting any service provider that unexpectedly calls or visits one’s home, stating that such instances have occurred in Tshwane before.
“If you haven’t reported a problem and someone claiming to be a service provider approaches your house, do not let them in,” he urged.
“If they provide you with a contact number for verification purposes, do not fall for it.”
In times of doubt, Van Dyk recommended contacting the customer care or call centre number independently sourced by the individual. “Do not simply rely on any phone number given to you,” he advised.
“I understand that people may panic upon receiving a message stating that their bank details have been compromised or an SMS notifying them of a significant withdrawal, accompanied by a link to investigate,” Van Dyk added.
“In such cases, it is better to cancel your bank card and contact your bank or service provider directly. This will allow them to conduct a thorough investigation.”
He emphasised that reporting the incident to the service provider enables them to inform the police, who can then initiate a proper investigation.
Source: Report scams to the police as soon as possible
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Photo by Anna Tarazevich
