Cell phone hijacking – are you a victim?

Cell Phone Banking & Airtime Fraud

Minutes of our Country – Must Read Media Watch – 07.08.2019

Cell phone hijacking – are you a victim?
Despite the amazing advances of cellular technology, the downside is that criminals can easily hack your number and do a SIM-swap, enabling them to hijack your phone and gain access to all your information including your banking details.

Mobile Banking Fraud
During 2018 there was an estimated 75.3% increase in online and mobile banking fraud, translating into R263 million stolen from over 23,000 South Africans after their mobile numbers were hijacked and their banking details compromised. Fraudulent number porting requests are made by rogue individuals, and unless the user specifically requests this to be stopped, the porting will be activated. Apparently mobile service providers cannot do much to prevent this.

Airtime Fraud
Stolen airtime is also a massive problem, and rogue WASPs (Wireless Application Service Providers) bill subscribers’ accounts without their permission. If you have noticed your airtime mysteriously disappearing, this is probably why… Mobile operators do try to combat this fraud, but criminals quickly find new ways of bypassing their security protocols, and literally billions of Rands in stolen airtime is the result.

What can you do?
Fortunately there are some steps you can take to minimise the chances of your phone being ‘cracked’.

To make your phone safer against WASP attacks and lost airtime, click on the link below and follow the instructions.