“Congratulations! You’ve won a free trip to Dubai. Click the link to claim your prize!” or “Hurray! You’ve won an iPhone 16 Pro Max, click on this link to redeem it!”
Messages like these may look familiar, and if you’ve ever clicked on such links hoping to claim the prize despite not entering any competition, you are not alone.
These attractive offers are cleverly crafted traps and with a single click, your device can be compromised in a twinkle of an eye.
The fraudsters behind these schemes are skilled manipulators, using social engineering tactics to trick individuals into giving away sensitive information, such as One-Time Passwords (OTPs), Mobile Money PINs, and other confidential details.
Once they gain access, these cybercriminals exploit the data for their personal gain, often at great cost to the victim.
Social engineering fraud typically involves people posing as bank officials, telecommunication network agents, or government workers offering to help resolve a “problem” on your account.
They then coax you into revealing your PIN, bank details, or even authorising transactions, often targeting the unsuspecting or vulnerable in society.
Examples of these social engineering fraud schemes are Mobile Money scams, job recruitment scams, phishing messages and emails, impersonation on social media, and the list goes on.
MoMo and job recruitment scams have also been in the news as people have fallen victims but others have learnt lessons the hard way after losing huge sums of monies.
Same applies to phishing messages and emails as these attackers send bank and mobile money messages or alerts with links to steal your data when you click to explore more.
To address this problem that keeps springing up, it is advisable to not click on my link from unknown source. Even if it is coming from your office mail and you are unsure, please ask to avoid entangling yourself with fraud.
Also, do not share your PIN with anyone. If by any reason you are unable to embark on any transaction(s) yourself and give out your details to your trusted friend or family member, quickly change it after that transaction is done.
Always cross-check phone calls or messages, especially if they involve payments or urgent requests.
You need to enable two-factor authentication on your apps to serve as an extra layer of security to prevent you from being hacked easily.
The Cybersecurity Authority of Ghana has also encouraged Ghanaians to report suspicious activities to the Authority or the police.
Note that if something sounds too good to be true, take a second look it at because, all that glitters is not always gold.
Stay safe while using your mobile devices, laptops and surfing the net.
SA/MA
How social engineering hacks your mind and your bank account
