Many of us look forward to tax season, as it’s a chance to get some of our hard-earned money back, but for cybercriminals it’s equally lucrative. They use the opportunity to launch sophisticated scams that easily catch out an unsuspecting victim.
Carey van Vlaanderen, CEO at Internet security firm ESET Southern Africa, has these tips to protect yourself.
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7 tips to avoid cybercriminals
1. Worried you’re being phished? Look at the bait
If you receive an e-mail asking you to click on a link, have a good look at who sent it. An e-mail address can be faked, so while it may look like a legitimate communication from SARS, it could be a scam. Hover your mouse over the link in the e-mail to display a pop-up message with the real link. You might find that it will direct you to a totally different site.
2. Tax returns, invoices, wedding invitations – cybercriminals use them all
Cybercriminals have been known to use fake wedding invitations and invoices as well as tax returns. Don’t open any suspicious attachments, even if they are from friends.
3. Don’t trust short URLs
If there is no good reason for a link to be shortened, be wary of following it. It’s easy to disguise the wrong URL through a shortening service.
4. Telephone numbers are no guarantee
You might think to call a number on an e-mail to verify it, but cybercriminals are smart enough to use numbers that work, but on the other side of the line is another scammer who will try to convince you that the e-mail is real.
5. Don’t auto-load images
If your computer downloads the images from a spammer’s e-mail, it could send a signal to them that you exist. Rather change your e-mail settings so that images don’t download automatically.
6. It’s not SARS on the line
Should you receive a call from someone at SARS offering you a gift card for filing early or asking you to send or provide personal details, hang up.
7. Encryption is the way to go
If you file your return online, make sure the website you’re visiting has HTTPS in front of the URL. Typically, it will have a green or grey lock showing it’s a secure connection.
Image: Christin Hume on Unsplash
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