KAROO NEWS - In the last few weeks, several local people have been contacted telephonically by callers purporting to be from banks, using a method known as vishing to try to get them to give personal and bank account details over the phone.
All local banks have frequently posted warnings that the bank will never ask for your account details, password, pin or OTP over the phone, but many still fall victim to this scam and allow criminals access to their accounts. Unfortunately, this scam is even reaching small towns in the Karoo.
In the most recent case, on Thursday, an elderly resident of Aberdeen received a call from a man, who said he was from a security company working for her bank. He addressed her by name, and gave her correct physical address, which gained her confidence. He then told her that a relatively small amount (about R540) had been withdrawn from her account that morning, and asked her to confirm that it was indeed her who had made the transaction. She denied it, and told him that she had not been out of the house, at which point he asked if she still had her card in her possession. He also asked if she had any other bank cards, which she does not, and she told him this.
Showing what she thought was great concern about the security of her account, he then asked her for the number of her account, supposedly so he could check out this transaction. She got as far as giving the first two digits, when alarm bells started ringing and she became suspicious. When she asked why he needed this information, he rang off. "I was so close to giving him all my details, as he sounded so plausible," the woman confided.
When the woman related her story to a friend in the town, she found that the other woman had had exactly the same experience just a few weeks ago. Both women commented that the man spoke rather stilted English, but sounded official, gaining their confidence as he addressed them by name and knew their addresses.
Subsequently, others have come forward to tell of similar experiences, with some admitting that they had actually fallen for the scam and had money withdrawn from their accounts.
Advice from one local bank is to be on your guard if the person gives a sense of urgency, saying that details must be confirmed quickly to prevent further withdrawals. Customers should know that the bank will never ask for your account details, password, pin or OTP over the phone. If in any doubt whether it is a genuine alert from the bank, end the call, and then phone the bank’s call centre or local branch and speak to a consultant.
As this particular almost-victim’s story was shared on social media, several others came forward with very similar experiences, often involving elderly relatives who are not as comfortable with technology and so are perhaps more vulnerable. The woman involved in the latest known attempt here has asked that her experience be shared, to help prevent anyone losing money in this way.
'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news'
