The coronavirus pandemic has driven life online, creating new opportunities for fraudsters to take advantage of the anonymity of the web and run a number of scams on unsuspecting victims.
In South Africa, and many other developing countries, those poverty-stricken not only have to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also must be wary of cybercriminals who are looking to exploit them. According to The Global State of Scams 2021 report, in 2020, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) reported an increase in digital banking fraud of 33%, but with losses grown by only 0.4%. As customers turn to online shopping and paying through apps, these imposters enhance their efforts to steal their victims’ personal data while robbing them of their money through digital platforms.
While crimes in certain areas decreased, others increased, as cybercriminals took advantage of the recent changes in human behavior and online activity. In Kenya, online scams have increased drastically as most Kenyan’s aren’t tech savvy enough to spot fake ads and sites. Cybercrime and data breaches have become a significant threat to many individuals, organizations and even countries such as Nigeria, where fraudulent activities have increased 186% between January and September 2020.
Netsweeper’s advanced countrywide filtering and digital monitoring platforms manages internet access and activity to protect users from web threats. As a global leader in the tech and cybersecurity industry, it is our mission to provide a safer internet experience for all users. Netsweeper is proud to announce its recent partnership with ScamAdviser, a leader in anti-scam technology, to integrate protection against fraudulent websites and safeguard users against online scams.
For the full report on The Global State of Scams 2021, click here, or for more information on how Netsweeper can help your organization, book a demo to speak to one of our solution experts today.
Submitted by: Natasha Pande