Meerkat Alerts
Red Flags to Watch Out for
📲 Ah, smart phones! Super-convenient, right? Instant access to information, easy contact with your loved ones right across the globe and the added convenience of paying your bills without signing cheques or licking stamps while sitting at a desk.
Spoofing and App Shenanigans
Back in the day, a spoof was a device used to entertain us in a humorous and/or satirised way. A bit of harmless fun, something to laugh at before moving on. Recently though, "spoofing" has taken on...
Same tip on repeat
Do you ever feel worn-down by the relentless fraud attempts? Given the pace of them, it would be understandable if you feel that eventually a scammer will catch you off-guard. This Meerkat Alert is...
Investment Diversion Scam
This cyber-fraud story was reported in the local newspapers and it's a real nail-biter. A fellow Capetonian sold his business and retired. At 78 years old, after two decades of hard work, he...
Property Rental Scam Case Study
Anywhere that money changes hands, scammers will watch out for an opportunity. When there is a scarce supply, a sense of urgency makes it even easier for criminals to target you. Estate agents are...
Race Entry Case Study
Do you or any of your family or friends ever enter running or cycle races? If so, this Meerkat Tip is right on topic for you! Here are the details: "I encountered a fraudulent scheme while...
Facebook Ad Fraud Case Study
Valentine's Day has come and gone, but gift-purchasing happens year-round. As a result, this experience of a Netto Invest contact who got scammed buying a gift for her husband could easily happen to...
“Vishing” Case Study
Real-life case study story, exactly as relayed to us: I’ve just been phoned by the “ABSA Fraud Department”. According to them, a Chinese company was trying to set up a direct debit order from my...
What’s dodgy about digital menus?
Cast your mind back to the COVID-19 era - you’ll remember that when restaurants re-opened, there was a great deal of anxiety around anybody touching anything. Of course, an item that passed from...
Trojan horses – reinvented
Back in the day when the Greeks wanted to invade the city of Troy, the only way their army could get past the fortified gates was by trickery. They built a colossal wooden horse statue, which just...
How you charge your smart phone
"There's an app for that!" Apple's iconic phrase birthed in 2009 has been the punchline of countless jokes and memes. Fifteen years on, more phone apps exist than ever before and as a result, it's...
How to avoid “triangular” EFT frauds
We are all familiar with the convenience of making monthly payments - rates, water and electricity for example - by direct Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from your bank accounts. However, there are...
Anatomy of a dodgy message
My niece once had a guinea pig called Mr Bingley. He was a free-ranging fellow who lived underfoot, scuffling and grunting to himself while trying to dodge the children catching him for cuddles. Mr...
