Warning to people whose phone has been stolen in South Africa

Cellphone theft is common in South Africa, and while many dismiss it as routine, it can expose your personal data and banking accounts to criminals.

Nedbank recently warned that South Africa’s high crime rate makes it vital that you secure your belongings, whether at home or in public.

“Take special care to keep your digital devices safe — the combination of easy portability and high value makes them more attractive to burglars, pickpockets, smash-and-grab robbers, and bag snatchers,” the bank said.

Although replacing a phone is a big inconvenience in terms of both time and money, many people tend to simply move on from the crime, given how common it is and how unlikely it is that the device will be recovered.

However, Nedbank warned that cellphone theft is much more dangerous than it may seem since it could leave victims vulnerable to identity theft and banking fraud.

“Recent statistics analysed by the Institute of Security Studies reveal a sharp increase in phone theft,” Nedbank said.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), 189 cellphones are stolen on average daily in the country.

“If your phone is stolen, or even if you misplace it and can’t remember where, act quickly to limit your potential losses,” the bank urged.

As a first point of action, the bank advised consumers to call their bank as soon as they realise that their phone is missing, to deactivate their banking app and to remove any digital tokens from wallets like Apple Pay, Garmin Pay, and Google Pay.

“This will stop thieves accessing your money through your banking apps and digital wallets,” the bank explained.

As a next step, Nedbank said that they should report the theft to SAPS.

“You must report the theft to the police not only so that your phone can be identified and returned if it’s recovered but also so that the service provider can blacklist the phone with the IMEI number, making it harder for thieves to resell,” it explained.

“You’ll need a criminal case number to submit an insurance claim, too, and to open a fraud case with your bank if the thieves steal from your accounts.”

“SAPS sometimes recovers large collections of stolen cellphones when raiding a syndicate – if your phone is among them and you’ve reported it stolen, it will help in the prosecution of the criminals.”

Nedbank added that consumers should also contact their cellphone service provider.

“They can deactivate your SIM card, preventing any unauthorised use, and issue a new one, ensuring you regain control of your number,” the bank said.

“Changing or deactivating your phone number means that the thieves can’t use it to receive OTPs if they request digital banking changes, like a new PIN.”

Although many people may not see the use of insuring their cellphones, Nedbank stressed that this can be invaluable in cases where theft has occurred.

“Being a victim of crime always feels like a violation, and at a time like this, you’ll be glad that you’ve insured your phone against theft,” the bank said.

“At least you won’t have to suffer further financial loss on top of the trauma – submit a claim to your insurer as soon as you have a case number.”

“Remember, however, that theft insurance on your phone will cover the cost of replacing the device itself only – it doesn’t cover any financial losses if the thieves get access to your bank accounts.”

While these steps will help protect consumers’ digital banking and finances if their phone is stolen, Nedbank added that it is still better to prevent this crime from happening in the first place.

Using tracking technology is one way that clients can help keep their devices safe.

“Both Apple and Android phones now have ‘find my device’ features. Activate this feature to share your phone location with people you trust – and so that you can remotely locate it, lock it, and erase the data on your phone if it’s stolen,” the bank suggested.

The ‘find my device’ feature can be accessed through the official website or app bought from their app store – not through links in an email, message, or social media.

“However, don’t use this feature to try to track down criminals and recover your phone yourself – you should pass any location information on to the SAPS officer handling your case,” the bank emphasised.

“Fraudsters may create ‘find my phone’ phishing messages that ask you to click on links that access fake webpages – and then harvest your phone passwords.”

Use a password manager

Nedbank also stressed the use of passwords as a first line of defence in keeping cellphones safe.

“Use a password manager to generate strong, unique passwords for each digital login. Using a variety of strong passwords and changing them regularly helps protect you from cybercriminals targeting your personal data,” it suggested.

“If your phone is stolen, change all your digital banking, email, and social media passwords right away.”

Using biometric locks such as fingerprints and facial recognition, doing regular backups, and staying aware of the latest security threats are other ways users can keep their devices safe.

Additionally, enabling two-factor authentication is also a useful protection tool for cellphone owners.

“Some websites and email providers don’t offer this feature, or they make it optional. Only use accounts that offer 2-factor authentication to log in or make other transactions, and choose that setting to add an extra layer of security.”

“Losing a phone is distressing, and having one stolen is even worse,” Nedbank added.

“But don’t let the emotional upheaval distract you from taking immediate steps to prevent further losses. Learn more about cybercrime and how to fight it.”

This article was first published by Daily Investor and is reproduced with permission.