Insurer Old Mutual is warning the public about a highly sophisticated investment scam circulating on social media and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.
The company says the scam falsely uses the company’s logo as well as names and images of real employees, including senior executives and the Old Mutual group CEO, Jurie Strijdom, to create a misleading sense of credibility.
According to Old Mutual, the scam is positioned as a high-return, AI-powered investment opportunity and seems to be driven by a well-coordinated syndicate.
It notes that the syndicate has already targeted several major financial institutions with this scam.
Old Mutual is urging customers to stay vigilant and protect themselves from fraudsters and identity thieves by following a few essential safety tips.
When downloading apps, it says customers must always ensure they are verified and legitimate versions from trusted app stores.
It urges clients to not disclose their login credentials, such as passwords or banking PINs, to anyone, as Old Mutual will never ask for one’s username or password.
“We take the protection of all customer information seriously as we continually review and strengthen our security controls. Vigilance and awareness are key in the fight against this form of crime. We encourage you to remain alert,” it concludes.
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