{"id":707480,"date":"2023-07-29T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-29T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=707480"},"modified":"2023-07-28T15:12:36","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T13:12:36","slug":"new-loyalty-scam-on-the-rise-in-south-africa-what-to-look-out-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/mobile\/707480\/new-loyalty-scam-on-the-rise-in-south-africa-what-to-look-out-for\/","title":{"rendered":"New ‘loyalty’ scam on the rise in South Africa – what to look out for"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Discovery Bank has urged caution over a new cellphone network loyalty programme scam that is on the rise in South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bank warned on 25 July that scammers are exploiting cellphone network loyalty programmes – such as Vodacom’s VodaBucks – to target unsuspecting victims. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It said those that have fallen victim received a message claiming their reward points or balance is about to expire. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To redeem them, you must click on the link provided in the message. However, this link is designed to steal your personal information for financial gain, noted the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Once you click on the link, you’ll be directed to a convincing but fake website, where you’ll be prompted to enter card details and an OTP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Instead of redeeming rewards, you’ll unknowingly authorise fraudulent transactions,” said Discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To avoid this scam, the urges South Africans to stay vigilant and suspicious of any loyalty programme-related messages – adding that you should always verify the sender’s details, avoid clicking any links, and never share sensitive information such as your card details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discovery added that if you received any OTP verification message, always read the message carefully to make sure it’s linked to actions you’ve initiated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, in order to put a stop to any fraudulent transactions, the bank also recommends keeping up with all your transactions by enabling real-time notifications on your banking app. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do come across a suspicious message, Discovery advises you to notify your bank and forward the message to the relevant service provider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other popular messaging scams to watch out for<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carey van Vlaanderen, the CEO of ESET Southern Africa, provided a list of messaging scams that are very popular at the moment, with many scammers also targeting WhatsApp as a popular platform to engage with potential victims. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common types of messaging scams in South Africa, as outlined by Vlaanderen, are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n