Cellphone scams on the rise

The loss of a cellphone compromises a lot more than just the device, says MTN.

---

Cellphone theft, as well as SIM and device scams, are on the rise, as is typical of this time of year, says second mobile operator MTN.

Lily Zondo, GM of risk management at MTN SA, says there has been a pattern in theft and fraud that arises during the holiday season, and warns cellphone users to be vigilant when carrying their device during the festive period. "If a mobile device gets stolen, it is not just the device that is compromised, but also the information stored on it."

Zondo says a stolen device should immediately be reported to the police and the operator notified in order for the SIM card to be deactivated. If a SIM is fraudulently used, she says, the user is liable for the bill, "in light of the fact that the SIM was still being used".

MTN says customers also need to be aware of fraudulent upgrades, SIM swops, holiday hoaxes and SMS scams, as well as identity theft.

Zondo says, should any irregular activity be suspected, the customer should alert the operator. "We also reinforce to our customers that they should not give out their personal documents or details such bank accounts and ID numbers."

When travelling, says Zondo, data and roaming costs are a prevalent problem that cellphone users are not always mindful of. "MTN urges those who are travelling during this period to ensure data roaming is switched off, as roaming overseas can be a costly experience.

"Furthermore, should the device be lost or stolen overseas, a data roaming bill can be run up quite quickly, especially if the customer is not able to contact the service provider.

"With all this in mind, we urge customers to be aware of their surroundings and to be cautious while shopping and travelling at all times during this holiday period."

MTN has put together a list of seemingly obvious, but often overlooked, dangers and security precautions cellphone users can take to prevent loss or fraud:

1. The operator advises customers to make use of the handset and SIM card PIN security features on their cellphone.
2. Customers should consult the service representatives in store to help them activate the necessary security features.
3. Customers should be vigilant with regards to SMSes they receive requesting details or congratulating them on a lottery - or other - win. Customers must not respond to such messages.
4. In the same way, prank calls claiming a customer has won a prize and that certain personal details are needed (including ID number, proof of residence, etc) should be ignored.
5. Broadcast messages on BlackBerry's instant messaging platform, BlackBerry Messenger, can potentially be another form of phishing scam and customers should be cautious of opening URLs embedded within them.
6. Phone calls claiming customers need to turn off their cellphones to allow their service provider to complete an upgrade process are also hoaxes and should not be entertained. Customers should immediately report such incidents, and must not switch their phones off.
7. To prevent identity theft, credit reports should be reviewed on a regular basis. This could assist in detecting if accounts have been fraudulently added.
8. Safeguard yourself from identity theft with alerts from the relevant credit bureaus in the event that there is a critical change on your credit report.
9. Avoid distributing your cellphone number on social networking sites, as this opens you up to receiving unwanted, and even malicious, SMS messages.
10. Do not complete - or even open - unwanted e-mail forms that request information of a personal nature.
11. Be cautious of using WiFi hotspots.
12. Keep mobile device software up to date and install security software on smartphones and tablets.
13. Do not jailbreak or circumvent security features of mobile devices should they be built in to the device already.
14. Only purchase applications for your mobile device from reputable application stores online.
15. Ensure that you have a backup of all information stored on your mobile device on a computer or portable hard drive, in the event that your device is stolen or lost.
16. Remove all personal information from a mobile device before you dispose of it.