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Cape Town - A recent scam on Facebook which offered free R500 gift cards from well-known South African retailers shows that scammers are again out in full force, trying to con consumers strapped for cash after the holiday season, warns Dial a Nerd communications head Leaine Brebber in a statement.
According to the statement, the scammers claim that the free gift cards are from Woolworths or Pick n Pay.
Brebber has the following advice to help you stay ahead of the scammers.
Watch out for malicious links
The easiest way to be targeted is via an email, text or Facebook post which offers a great deal.
As a general rule, don’t click on a link from someone you don’t know as it could be spyware or a malicious program designed to capture passwords and other personal information.
If you do not remember entering a competition or ordering a package, it is probably a scam. If the deal is too amazing to be true, it’s probably a scam.
An example would be a scam offering a free gift card by sharing the link on your Facebook page.
Always check the source of the link. Even if it is from someone you know, a scammer could have hijacked their account and sent it on their behalf.
Don't fall into the phony gift card trap
Phony gift cards are in the form of an email, text message or Facebook post saying that you’ve won a prize or that you’ve qualified for a massive discount or sum of money on a gift card.
You are then required to enter extensive personal information to receive it or share the link with your friends.
Don’t do it. The more personal information the fraudsters have, the easier it will be to get into your bank account, for example.
Ignore links offering ridiculous discounts and steer clear of sites that offer gift cards at unheard of prices.
Beware unknown sites advertising unbelievable offers
You know the saying: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is the general rule when it comes to scams.
Some sites do offer amazing deals, like Groupon and Superbalist (Citymob), but it’s the unknown sites that you need to watch out for.
Examples could be ones with strangely spelt names or the ones offering highly sought after items like iPads and iPhones at abnormally low prices.
Be wary when entering your credit card details on unknown sites, and make sure that the site is secure.
The web address should begin with https:// instead of http://. The “s” means that it is secure.
Brebber recommends using a separate card for online purchases and setting limits as low as possible. If these details are stolen, the damage will be minimal.
It is also advisable not to save any of your credit card details on a site for future purchases.
Dubious websites can also pull you in by offering vouchers for popular gifts.
If you have to enter a lot of personal information to get the voucher, warning bells should start to sound.
If you are required to sign up to the account in order to purchase, using a password you haven’t used for anything else is a good idea.
You suspect you've been had - what now?
What if you think you’ve been scammed online?
Immediately run a virus scan. Mobile phones and tablets aren’t immune to scamware, so this applies to all devices.
Change your password if you think you have been scammed on a social media site.
Call your credit card company right away. They will put a watch on your card for suspicious activity.
According to the statement, the scammers claim that the free gift cards are from Woolworths or Pick n Pay.
Brebber has the following advice to help you stay ahead of the scammers.
Watch out for malicious links
The easiest way to be targeted is via an email, text or Facebook post which offers a great deal.
As a general rule, don’t click on a link from someone you don’t know as it could be spyware or a malicious program designed to capture passwords and other personal information.
If you do not remember entering a competition or ordering a package, it is probably a scam. If the deal is too amazing to be true, it’s probably a scam.
An example would be a scam offering a free gift card by sharing the link on your Facebook page.
Always check the source of the link. Even if it is from someone you know, a scammer could have hijacked their account and sent it on their behalf.
Don't fall into the phony gift card trap
Phony gift cards are in the form of an email, text message or Facebook post saying that you’ve won a prize or that you’ve qualified for a massive discount or sum of money on a gift card.
You are then required to enter extensive personal information to receive it or share the link with your friends.
Don’t do it. The more personal information the fraudsters have, the easier it will be to get into your bank account, for example.
Ignore links offering ridiculous discounts and steer clear of sites that offer gift cards at unheard of prices.
Beware unknown sites advertising unbelievable offers
You know the saying: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is the general rule when it comes to scams.
Some sites do offer amazing deals, like Groupon and Superbalist (Citymob), but it’s the unknown sites that you need to watch out for.
Examples could be ones with strangely spelt names or the ones offering highly sought after items like iPads and iPhones at abnormally low prices.
Be wary when entering your credit card details on unknown sites, and make sure that the site is secure.
The web address should begin with https:// instead of http://. The “s” means that it is secure.
Brebber recommends using a separate card for online purchases and setting limits as low as possible. If these details are stolen, the damage will be minimal.
It is also advisable not to save any of your credit card details on a site for future purchases.
Dubious websites can also pull you in by offering vouchers for popular gifts.
If you have to enter a lot of personal information to get the voucher, warning bells should start to sound.
If you are required to sign up to the account in order to purchase, using a password you haven’t used for anything else is a good idea.
You suspect you've been had - what now?
What if you think you’ve been scammed online?
Immediately run a virus scan. Mobile phones and tablets aren’t immune to scamware, so this applies to all devices.
Change your password if you think you have been scammed on a social media site.
Call your credit card company right away. They will put a watch on your card for suspicious activity.
