{"id":591682,"date":"2025-04-17T09:07:17","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T07:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=591682"},"modified":"2025-04-17T09:07:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T07:07:24","slug":"easter-scam-warnings-for-south-africans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/security\/591682-easter-scam-warnings-for-south-africans.html","title":{"rendered":"Easter scam warnings for South Africans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>South Africans should be wary of scammers exploiting the festive mood over Easter to steal people&#8217;s money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is not uncommon for South African banks and cybercrime watchdogs to observe an increase in online fraud over big shopping events like Black Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Threat intelligence analysis by AI cybersecurity firm Darktrace showed that phishing attacks mimicking major US retail brands jumped 2,000% during the 2024 end-of-year shopping season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While not as significant a target as Black Friday or Christmas, Easter is another popular season for big sales promotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>KnowBe4 Africa has warned that holiday-themed fraud continues to increase every year, preying on distracted shoppers and generous donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>KnowBe4 Africa senior vice president of content strategy Anna Collard said that criminals take advantage of people&#8217;s more relaxed attitude during Easter, which includes several public holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She warned people to beware of convincing-looking phishing messages and fake deals that tap into the festive spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common ways in which criminals steal money include using compromised online banking logins, setting up fraudulent debit orders, and transacting with stolen card information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They may also convince people to transfer funds to &#8220;safe&#8221; accounts, often while pretending to be bank employees or police officers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In terms of in-person crimes, people should be careful of thieves using their stolen cards to make small tap transactions without having to enter a PIN. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid becoming a scam victim, Collard advised South Africans to follow a few simple precautions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Be sceptical of unsolicited communications, especially when they demand urgent action<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check sender email addresses and URLs (website links) for small spelling changes or mistakes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never share one-time passwords (OTPs), PINs or any personal or financial information in response to unsolicited requests<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep your devices updated to ensure key security updates are applied<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monitor bank accounts and credit reports regularly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, Collard advised that one of the best principles to follow is that when an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nine prevalent Easter scams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Anna-Collard-new-headline.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-591683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Anna-Collard-new-headline.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Anna-Collard-new-headline-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Anna-Collard-new-headline-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anna Collard, KnowBe4Africa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Collard also listed nine common Easter scams that people should watch out for during this holiday season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The types of scams and how to avoid them are explained below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Fake Easter sales and giveaway websites<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Too-good-to-be-true discounts on chocolates, gifts, or holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Stick to well-known retailers and avoid clicking on suspicious ads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Phishing messages disguised as delivery- or bank alerts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Emails or SMSes about Easter transactions or parcel delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Don&#8217;t click links. Go directly to the retailer or bank&#8217;s official site.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Bogus charity appeals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fake NGOs requesting Easter donations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Verify charities are registered through official platforms like https:\/\/www.npo.gov.za\/.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Social media giveaways<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Win a chocolate hamper&#8221; scams asking for personal info or processing fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Don&#8217;t share sensitive information. Real giveaways never require payment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5.<\/strong> <strong>Too-cheap-to-be-real travel packages<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fraudulent holiday accommodation deals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Always book via verified agents or directly through known providers \u2014 last-minute booking opportunities during such a sought-after period should always raise your eyebrows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6.<\/strong> <strong>E-cards carrying malware<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greeting cards with malicious attachments or links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Only open e-cards from people you know and trust.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Free trials with hidden subscription traps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Easter-themed&#8221; services that auto-renew without notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Read the fine print. Set reminders to cancel and check your statements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. Fake discount vouchers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Counterfeit coupons circulating on WhatsApp and social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Use voucher codes only from retailers&#8217; official apps or websites.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9. Spring-themed investment scams<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schemes promising &#8220;seasonal returns&#8221; or &#8220;growth boosters&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tip: Avoid unsolicited financial offers. No legitimate investment guarantees high returns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By staying vigilant and following these precautions, South Africans can significantly reduce their risk of falling victim to scams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KnowBe4 Africa senior vice president of content strategy Anna Collard lists nine common scams to be wary of this Easter. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341042,"featured_media":591689,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[98168,1441,48036,165,199,50691,98736,24004,20901],"class_list":["post-591682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-security","tag-anna-collard","tag-cybercrime","tag-cybercriminals","tag-fraud","tag-hackers","tag-knowbe4","tag-knowbe4-africa","tag-online-scams","tag-scammers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591682"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341042"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=591682"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":591769,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591682\/revisions\/591769"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/591689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=591682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=591682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=591682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}