‘Cyber crimes on the rise’

Business Writer

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), has warned the local market of increasing phishing scams that expose unsuspecting users to digital security risks.

Phishing scams are attempts by internet fraudsters to obtain confidential information such as banking details – credit card information, pins and passwords to accounts.

The rise in the phishing scams comes amid growing adoption of digital platforms for doing business, as Zimbabwe pushes to become a digitally enabled economy.

World over, businesses are going through digital transformations and expanding their digital ecosystems, accelerated by the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic. However, this rapid transformation comes with its challenges – the rise in internet fraudsters posing security threats to governments, corporations and individuals.

According to the telcos regulator, these scams usually come in the form of emails and short messages services (SMS).

“The phishing emails usually come with attachments that contain viruses and once one opens the attachment the virus becomes active and infects the user device. The phishing SMSs come with short messages enticing recipients to click on and follow a hyperlink provided in the message,” warned POTRAZ director general Dr Gift Machengete in a statement.

“Once one follows the link their user device gets infected with malicious software that can be used to phish (steal) user credentials and passwords contained in the device. Resultantly, users end up at high risk of having important information like usernames and passwords, bank details and PIN codes or private and confidential information stolen,” he said.

Digital marketing via email and SMS are fast growing and proven to be powerful tool but fraudsters are also taking advantage of this, increasing the threat of email account hijacking which includes phishing and spamming where hackers can send links to malicious websites.

Dr Machengete called on the public to be on the lookout for such emails.

He said: “We therefore wish to urge members of the public to be on the lookout for phishing emails and SMS. Any suspicious SMSs and or emails should be reported to competent IT personnel or to the Service Providers before opening or following suspicious attachments or links as the case may be.

“Users should have their antivirus software regularly updated and should not open anything that has been flagged by the antivirus. Most importantly, DO NOT give anyone your Security PIN under any circumstances, even if they purport to be from your bank or mobile network provider.”