Stopping your smartphone or tablet being hacked at an airport, hotel or café.
If you use public Wi-Fi or USB power charging stations at airports,
hotels,
and other locations, make sure to use a VPN when using public Wi-Fi, and always make
sure to use
a USB data blocker, also known as a USB condom when using the public USB power charging
stations.
While the risk from using public USB power charging stations at airports, hotels, and
other
locations might be minimal, a USB port is a gateway into a device, and allowing any
scabby
charging station access to your devices seems overall like a bad idea.
The USB data blocker blocks all data transfer, but the built-in chip detects the type of
device
which is connected and swaps between Apple, Universal, and Samsung charging
specifications, thus
enabling the fastest charge possible.
Sextortion
Sextortion is a form of blackmail in which sexual information or images
are used
to extort sexual
favors or cash from the victim. Social media and text messages are often the source of
the
sexual material and the threatened means of sharing it with others.
This is a criminal offence, report immediately, send us an email and report the
incident,
include all evidence of the blackmail to report@cybersecurity.gov.gh
, you can also send us a
whatsapp message to 050 160 3111
WhatsApp Scam
Whatsapp Gold!! This is nothing but a trick used by scammers to install malware and viruses onto our phone or device. It’s an old trick, claiming that there is a secret update to WhatsApp that gave users enhanced features that could be shared around. The scammers provide a link that would supposedly enable people to install WhatsApp Gold but, in reality, would trick them into downloading malware.
Ways to Avoid Being a Victim of Mobile Money Fraud
It is highly advised not to share Personal Identification Numbers (PIN)
or secrete number with anyone and this includes mobile money agents,
workers of any telecommunication network and your friends.
Mobile money agents and telecom workers are not to ask you for your PIN
to initiate any transaction on your behalf. Your PIN is your secret
number.
Make sure that your PIN is difficult to guess. When choosing your 4
numbers, it’s best to avoid using the year of your birth, the day and
month of birth, repetitive numbers like 1111, 2222 etc. Also avoid
common pattern numbers like 1234 or 2018.
Use a PIN that would be difficult for people to guess, but easy to
remember. If you currently have a weak PIN, you can change it.
Don’t ever give your mobile phone to agents to do a transaction on your behalf. If you give your phone to an agent to initiate a transaction on your behalf, you expose yourself to being defrauded.
Whenever you make a deposit at any mobile money merchant shop, make sure you receive confirmation text before you leave. Make sure the text received is from the said telecom company. Be vigilant and watch out for text messages from suspicious phone numbers. Always verify transaction details before withdrawing or transferring money.
Don’t trust text messages from suspicious phone numbers regarding your mobile money account. Treat such numbers with suspicion and don’t follow instructions they ask. Beware of scam calls asking you to send mobile money to their accounts to receive cash prizes or asking for your account details. Whenever in doubt, don’t hesitate to call the customer service number.
How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams
Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information. They may try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks every day and they’re often successful. But there are several things you can do to protect yourself.
Scammers use familiar company names or pretend to be someone you know. They ask you to click on a link or give passwords or bank account numbers. If you click on the link, they can install programs that lock you out of your computer and can steal your personal information. They pressure you to act now – or something bad will happen.
Check it out.
Look up the website or phone number for the company or person who’s
contacting you. Call that company or person directly. Use a number you
know to be correct, not the number in the email or text. Tell them about
the message you got
Look for scam tip-offs.
- You don’t have an account with the company.
- The message is missing your name or uses bad grammar and spelling.
- The person asks for personal information, including passwords.
- But note: some phishing schemes are sophisticated and look very real, so check it out and protect yourself.
- Just place your cursor on the link you have been asked to click to verify the web address.
Keep your computer security up to date by installing an antivirus, update
it regularly and back up your data often.
Consider multi-factor authentication – a second step to verify who you
are, like a text with a code – for accounts that support it.
Change any compromised passwords right away and don’t use them for
any other accounts.
Ways to avoid being a Romance Scam victim.
Romance scammers are smooth operators and can take their time to set their trap. Scammers take advantage of people looking for romantic partners, often via dating websites, apps or social media by pretending to be prospective companions. They play on emotional triggers to get you to provide money, gifts or personal details.
- Your new romantic interest sends you a picture that looks more like a model from a fashion magazine than an ordinary snapshot.
- The person quickly wants to leave the dating website and communicate with you through email or instant messaging.
- He or she lavishes you with attention and often overwhelm prospective marks with texts, emails and phone calls to draw them in.
- He or she repeatedly promises to meet you in person but always seems to come up with an excuse to cancel.
- Do take it slowly. Ask your potential partner a lot of questions, and watch for inconsistencies that might reveal an impostor.
- Do check the photo, using Google’s “search by image” feature. If the same picture shows up elsewhere with a different name attached to it, that’s a sign a scammer may have stolen it.
- Do be wary of flirtatious and overly complimentary emails. Paste the text into a search engine and see whether the same words show up on websites devoted to exposing romance scams.
- Do cut off contact immediately if you begin to suspect that the individual may be a swindler.
- Do notify the dating site or the maker of the dating app on which you met the scammer.
- Don’t feel a false sense of safety because you’re the one who made first contact. Scammers flood dating websites with fake profiles and wait for
- Don’t reveal too much personal information in a dating profile or to someone you’ve chatted with only online. Scammers can exploit details like your last name or where you work to manipulate you or to commit identity theft.
- Don’t ever give an online acquaintance intimate photos that could later be used for extortion.
- Don't send cash to someone you've chatted with only online or put money on a reloadable gift card for the person — you’ll never get it back.