How to identify a scam

[Blurock]

How do you know that you are being scammed? What should you look for?
When you receive unsolicited mail, NEVER open anything before checking and assuring yourself that it is legitimate.
This is an example of a scam email.

From Standard Bank <stdbank.ealerts@standardbank.com>

1. look at the email address - check to see which email the business use. Google their website
Scammers create new email addresses to look similar to the real thing. If possible check the IP address.
2.often the email is sent to multiple recipients - why? That is an obvious pointer.
3. Spelling and grammar mistakes. No reputable business will send you garbage.
4. Never open attachments or download pictures without checking first

Dear Customer,
A payment has been made to your account. To view the details of the payment, please open the attached PDF file.

View Payment Details

If you have any questions or would like more information,
email Quries@starndardbank.com
or call our Customer Contact Centre on 0819286.
Our consultants are available between 8am and 9pm on weekdays, and 8am and 4pm on weekends and public holidays.
Regards,
Standard Bank



For any queries please call Customer Contact Centre
0819286

Alternatively please e-mail
info@starndaridbank.com

Our lines are open
24 hours a day, 7 days a week including public holidays.

[Isetech]

I get these all the time, it doesn't help when Standard bank are selling your personnel information to 3 rd parties

I got behind with my bond payment last year in around July, I eventually managed to catch up at the end of last year, but this is the scam: I got behind with the payment again 2 months ago, I have a 3rd parties harassing me 24/7 with all sorts of threats. According to the statement I am R350 for 30 days , but R15267.00 for over 180 days. When I query the statement I am told the account has been handed over to a 3 rd party and Standard bank no longer want anything to do with me until the bond is paid up to date. I am being threated for the money outstanding from last year July again.

Apparently the way it works at Standard bank, any money paid now will be used for current payments and the old outstanding amount automatically becomes the outstanding debt. So even though my bond installment was up to date at the end of last year, the old outstanding amount is now back with the 3rd party debt collector.

Maybe someone who understands how bonds work can explain this to me.

[Blurock]

I get these all the time, it doesn't help when Standard bank are selling your personnel information to 3 rd parties

You may be confusing the issue. This is not about the bank passing you on to a 3rd party.
This scam is from someone pretending to be Standard bank, enticing you to open the attachment which obviously contains a virus.

The other scam is from people pretending to be loan companies. They offer cheap loans and want you to fill out the application forms, so that hey can get your personal information. This is called phishing and should never be opened.

[Isetech]

I understand, my point is that if Standard bank didn't sell your personal info to 3 rd parties, there would be less risk of hackers gaining access to your personal information, unless of course Standard has a problem with their online security.

Looking at it from a different angle, I suppose at any point you email your banking details to someone, you let the world know which bank you use.

I think the easiest way to identify these scams is the spelling.

[Dave A]

I think the easiest way to identify these scams is the spelling.

Not so much anymore. These scam efforts are really getting quite slick.

There's a UCount Rewards one in particular that comes to mind where you appear to have been given a reward bonus. All you have to do is log in (with a link to a non-Standard Bank website of course) and there will be a one time password process to confirm it is you (also, of course).

The only solid giveaway in the message is the URL you are being steered towards to log in. The language, the slogans, the images, all other contact details, the basic business model is all very much in tune with Standard Bank marketing media. The other giveaway is they come in bursts. Wait a couple of hours and you will have 3 or 4 identical messages in your inbox.

[Justloadit]

They are getting better by now personalizing the information on the email, and your email address.

The only way that I am able to detect that it is a scam, is that the URL shown in the email, and the link you click is not the same text, usually very long and has a an unknown name and then a dot and then the link name, which is probably a web page on the scammers web server. This can be seen by hovering your mouse over the link to click, and looking at the bottom left hand side of your screen, it will display there.

Also usually there is an attached PDF file which is safe to open, but then they entice you to click on a link in the body of the PDF, which is the scam web address. Again hovering over the link will show the actual URL address.