How to spot a scammer: Helen Zille shares advice

At some point, most people will fall prey to a scam.  But Helen Zille wants you to learn from her experience to avoid making the same mistake.

The former head of the Democratic Alliance tweeted her frustration at becoming a victim of an elaborate bank fraud scam. She also shared her best advice on how to avoid a similar experience.

HELEN ZILLE FALLS PREY TO ‘CONVINCING’ SCAM

Earlier this month, Helen Zille recounted of her experience of being scammed. She tweeted: “I thought I was too savvy to be tricked like that, but I was!”.

The politician – who claimed that the incident occurred telephonically “from a 060 number” – thanked her bank for assisting her.

She also expressed her annoyance at being duped. She continued: “It was so convincing and ‘professional.’

“These fraudsters have got their pitch and their schtick.  But I, with all my background knowledge and savvy, fell for it.  I feel so stupid, but my Bank helped me out”.

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ADVICE ON HOW TO SPOT A SCAM

In a detailed Twitter thread, Helen Zille shared her advice for avoiding a common scam.

In a series of tweets, she posted:

“If a scammer manages, somehow, to obtain the information that you have bought an item online for delivery, they send you an sms saying that the delivery has been stopped for some reason.

“They then inform you that if you wish to re-instate it, you have to follow a link to do so and confirm that you wish to re-instate the purchase.  When you do this, they send you a credible-looking form to fill in and then require you to confirm payment.

“When you do this, you receive an OTP from your bank to verify the payment.  Read that sms VERY carefully to check the currency denomination in which the payment is requested.  Some of these scammers are enticing people to pay fraudulent invoices in EUR instead of ZAR [Sout African Rand].

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“Do not type in your OTP.  Cancel the payment immediately.  What’s more: If you receive a notification that an order has been cancelled, do not accept it at face value.  Make sure you check with the seller.

Helen Zille then encouraged her followers to contact the “seller” and inform them of what had happened.

She continued: “It can be frustrating…[however] you cannot be too careful.  When you receive any communication that purports to come from your bank, read EVERY WORD carefully and check whether the telephone numbers supplied really work”.

ALREADY BEEN CONNED? HERE’S WHAT TO DO NEXT

According to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC), cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to steal your cash.

This involves identity theft and elaborate ways of accessing your cash – including fraudsters attempting to defraud your insurance, medical aid, and Unemployment Insurance Fund. For safety and online protection from scams and malicious software always opt for a secure internet provider like Centurylink

This can often be done via email, SMS, phone call, malware, or remote access.

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“In some instances, they impersonate you, and, using social engineering, access your bank accounts and do transactions,” the organisation added.

If you suspect you have been a victim of identity theft, here’s how to protect yourself, says SABRIC…

• Do not use any information that may have been compromised. Instead, use other personal information you have not used previously to confirm your identity in the future.
• Register a new email account. Implement dual authentication for all accounts and products, especially financial services products.
• Register for SMS notifications to alert you when products and accounts are accessed.
• Conduct regular credit checks to verify whether someone has applied for credit using your personal information, and if so, advise the credit grantor immediately.
• Investigate and register for credit-related alerts offered by credit bureaus.
• Check your bank statements regularly.

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