digital fraud Archives - AfricaBusiness.com

16May

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Experts reveal how businesses and sellers can spot online payment scams

When it comes to online shopping, customers aren’t the only ones who can fall victim to scams. Many scams target businesses and sellers instead, therefore anyone selling goods online must know how to avoid being impacted and what to do if their business is affected. In fact, according to Business Wire, there was a 71% increase in payment fraud attempts on US businesses in 2023 – a statistic that highlights how important it is for online sellers to remain wary of practices that could undermine their services and cause financial damage. With that in mind, Dennis Pederson, CEO of PayFasto, has compiled a list of five common payment scams that online sellers should be aware of and how to respond in the unlucky event of experiencing them. Phishing scams Phish...

1Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

Don’t be an Ass (mule) this festive

The festive season is a time to be enjoyed, spending quality time with family and showering others in kindness and generosity. However, the South African festive season is also, unfortunately, synonymous with fraud. If history is anything to go by, many South Africans are expected to fall victim to fraud during this period. The Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS), Reana Steyn, advises South Africans that scammers and fraudsters are likely to intensify their activities during the holiday season. “It is important to note that these fraudsters do not discriminate or have any regard for their victim's age, race or profession. Unfortunately, it is often the elderly that are most vulnerable and most likely to be left devastated by these fraudsters,” says Steyn who adds that these fraudsters a...

23Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

How to avoid falling victim to rising vehicle scams

South Africa’s biggest banks are warning customers about a marked increase in vehicle purchase scams. Criminals place adverts for fake vehicles online at hugely discounted prices to lure in buyers hunting for a great bargain. Sameer Kumandan, Managing Director of SearchWorks, an innovative platform which allows consumers to perform live, accurate vehicle searches and valuations as well as company searches and property valuations, says South Africans are turning to online content for everything from comparing prices to doing more in-depth research, particularly when it comes to long term financial commitments such as buying a car. According to reports, fake vehicle adverts are relatively sophisticated and usually include photos to match the vehicle description with contact details of th...

17Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Your immediate response to prevent banking fraud

If you are like any normal South Africa, you approach intersections labelled high crime or high smash and grab zone with an overabundance of caution and the same applies to any intersection where there are a lot of people loitering around your vehicle. The last thing you want is to become a victim of a crime of opportunity, Close to 41% of the South African population has a smartphone. With Government encouraging the public to practice social distancing, online banking platforms have become extremely popular. Criminals are aware of this and reports from the South African Police Service point out that when it comes to crimes of opportunity (i.e.: smash and grab) criminals press their victims for their online banking password before making off with the phone. “This creates a situation ...