DESPITE the numerous awareness conducted by telco companies such as Vodafone Fiji, and organisations such as the Fijian Competition & Consumer Commission (FCCC), Consumer Council of Fiji (CCoF) and the Ministry of Communications, Fijians continue to fall victim to online financial scams.
The Fiji Police Force Cyber Crime Unit, on Wednesday released a statement stating they had launched an investigation into an alleged scam using Vodafone Fiji’s M-PAiSA platform.
According to Fiji Police, the investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged by Vodafone Fiji regarding a competition that has been encouraging M-PAiSA users to send money to a number in order to go into a draw and win prizes.
Vodafone also released a statement on its social media page stating the competition and draw was neither approved nor authorised by them.
The telco company also encouraged its money wallet users to conduct verification processes first before sending money or responding to such social media posts.
Now, multinational banking and financial services company ANZ has released a statement calling on their customers to be vigilant of all scam types.
It also advised customers to always pause and consider any request to remotely access their personal computer, phone, or other digital devices. ANZ Regional Executive Pacific Sarah Stubbings says scammers play on people’s fears that their finances or security are in danger.
“They may instruct the customer to download apps or software to allow access to their bank account or persuade the customer to transfer funds from their account to ensure the account is in working order,” Ms Stubbings said.
“In remote access scams, criminals make unsolicited contact with victims, usually by text, phone, or email.
“They impersonate a legitimate company or government agency, such as a telco, bank, or software provider, to gain remote access to a customer’s device for a fictitious reason, such as to fix a technical issue or to prevent their account being hacked.
“Be sceptical of any unsolicited contact, particularly if it is accompanied by a request to download an app, gain remote access to your device, or provide your banking details.
“If you’re ever unsure, end the conversation immediately and instead contact the organisation through one of the ways they advertise on their website.”
In the statement, the ANZ also identified ways in which consumers should be able to identify a remote access scam.
Unsolicited contact: Be wary of any unexpected contact, claiming to have detected issues on your device or with your bank account. A sense of urgency: Scammers want you to act quickly and may claim an issue requires immediate resolution. Genuine tech support or financial or government institutions will always include identity and security checks and you should always be able to ring them back on a number you’ve independently sourced from the organisation’s website.
Unconventional payment requests: Be suspicious if a technician asks you to buy software or sign up for a service to fix your computer, or a bank or government agent tells you they’re putting funds into your account to help ‘catch a hacker’. Be suspicious of any requests to transfer funds they say they’ve credited to your account. Legitimate companies or government agents will not ask you to do this.
Request access to your banking: While the scammer is using your device remotely, they might ask you to log into your online banking so they can make a test payment or refund. Genuine companies will never ask you to do this.
Be aware of unexpected One-Time Passwords (OTPs): If you see passcodes being sent to your mobile phone or device by your bank mobile phone or device by your bank when you are not making or authorising anyone else to make transactions from your ac[1]count, hang up the phone, delete any app or software you have been asked to down[1]load and contact your bank immediately.
Earlier this year, while responding to questions from The Fiji Times, the Multi[1]Agency Scam Taskforce gave a list of practical digital and cyber hygiene which was supposed to better protect consumers from scammers.
Those are:
- Do not share your personal details and keep it secure;
- Do not share passwords or Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) or, special codes like One-Time Passwords (OTP);
- Update your mobile apps and mobile operating system, when prompted by the official app store or official communication from the phone’s manufacturer or mobile service provider;
- Do not send money and verifying with the recipient;
- Do not click on unverified or suspicious links;
- Report any suspicious calls or texts to the police;
- Ensure that your apps are always up[1]dated; and
- Keep yourself informed on latest trends and scams from official accounts. Once again, members of the public are encouraged to be vigilant, be aware and keep themselves informed by watching the news and following press releases from official sources.