Telkom has warned that criminals are targeting “unsuspected” customers with the aim of either defrauding them of cash or acquiring their personal details or Internet usernames and passwords under false pretexts.
“The latest modus operandi that fraudsters are using to target our customers and the public at large involves a phishing scam via e-mail,” says group enterprise risk management executive Thokozani Mvelase in a statement.
Phishing is where scamsters attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and banking and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.
“These illegal activities have been going on for quite some time. After warning the public about them previously, we noticed a significant drop in Telkom customers being targeted. However, some of these activities seem to be on the rise again and we hope that the public will be extremely vigilant about any attempts to defraud them,” Mvelase says.
Telkom says the scam that has recently surfaced involves fraudsters e-mailing its customers the following (it’s unedited):
Attention
Notification from Telkom SA hard office Account department, Our apologies for the inconveniences, kindly send us your last three months Telkom bills. As there is a mistake over billing (charge) some of our clients.
As well state your last payment paid to us.
Kindly scan the copy and send it back to us by e-mail, if on your mail forward it to us.
Thanks For Your Corporation
Jabulane Mabuza
Jabu Mabuza is the name of Telkom’s chairman.
According to Telkom, the e-mails appear to be sent from the e-mail address “[email protected]”, which is linked to a Gmail account. “The company will investigate further to locate the actual source of these fraudulent e-mails,” Mvelase says.
“I urge the public to be extremely vigilant if they receive e-mails similar to these, especially if it is followed up with phone calls requesting banking details for refund purposes.
“Telkom does not conduct its business this way. We would never ask customers to send us their statements – we have those already,” he says. “Also, reimbursements are not credited into our customers’ bank accounts. In the event of a credit, Telkom passes it on to the customers’ telephone account for the next month.”
Customers must be suspicious if they receive unsolicited calls or e-mails. “Usernames and passwords are unique and must be kept confidential at all times,” Mvelase says in the statement. “Otherwise, you run the risk of bandwidth theft or outside parties accessing your e-mails. This becomes extremely serious if access to your mailing system is abused for fraudulent or criminal ends.” — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media
