Many South Africans are still in the dark about how pervasive tracking and theft are on the Web.
This is according to Chandler Givens, TrackOFF CEO, in a recent interview with ITWeb, following the entrance of the US-based security company into the South African market.
The company's proprietary technology protects Internet users from the persistent and nefarious collection of personal information online. TrackOFF says users can browse the Web knowing their identities and personal data are safe from hackers, trackers and governments.
"Studies have shown that South Africans are the second most at-risk consumers in the world when it comes to online fraud and identity theft. A South African consumer has their identity stolen about every 30 seconds," says Givens.
"One of the biggest challenges with online tracking, hacking and fraud is that it's largely invisible. The symptoms usually appear after it's too late. As a result, there's a general reluctance on the part of consumers to take any action early."
In SA, he adds, online fraud and identity theft are on the rise, costing businesses in excess of R1 billion a year. TrackOFF warns citizens to be cautious when sharing personal information online, as cyber criminals have become extremely sophisticated in their strategies and attacks to gain access to databases of personal information, with financial gain the main target.
As the company looks to make a breakthrough in the local market, Givens says it will start by educating South African users on the threats they face and best practices to protect themselves.
"We've engaged a South African PR firm, built a localised Web page, and are starting to develop relationships with in-country suppliers and distributors."
He points out that Africa is a really exciting market right now, because so many people are coming online so quickly.
"This also means there's a huge opportunity for the bad guys to exploit new Web users. We want to be the first movers in the privacy protection space in Africa."
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