Windhoek
“Our Christmas cheer seems to go hand in hand with an increase in fraud – don’t get caught off guard,” warns Surihe Gaomas-Guchu, Corporate Communications Manager at Standard Bank Namibia.
“This holiday season remind your friends, family and clients to take additional precautions to prevent them from falling victim to bank fraud and financial scams,” says Gaomas-Guchu.
Standard Bank has noticed phishing emails are on the increase. Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to acquire personal details from any individual. Normally fraudsters use an email message encouraging a targeted individual to click on a link in the message. Once you have clicked on the link it takes you to a non-secure “fake” website, which requires you to enter personal or banking details.
Below are some tips to help you spot a phishing scam:
• Look for spelling and grammatical errors on websites or in emails.
• A secure URL will begin with ‘https’ instead of http.
• Ensure that your device is regularly updated with the latest security features.
• Back up your files and critical information regularly.
• Keep distribution lists updated and regularly review addresses if you own such distribution lists.
• Beware of very long website addresses. These can indicate fraudulent links which are built into the address.
• Check your bank statements regularly to identify any errors or fraudulent transactions that might have been performed on your account without your knowledge.
• Place sensible transaction limits on your accounts.
• Do not open emails from unknown sources. Delete them immediately.
• Most importantly, never ever click on a link in a suspicious email message from an unknown person.