Digital tools can help your business become more efficient, save time, and win new customers, but there are also dangers to watch out for. Cyber-attacks and con artists could target any small business in New Zealand.
Here are the latest risks:
Facebook danger
One sophisticated Facebook scam has ensnared 10 million users. Millions of people on the social network have been conned into handing over their account credentials. The phishing scam, which is still active, pushes victims to a fake Facebook login page, where they are enticed to input their details. The scam began in September 2021 and remains active. Worried about phishing on social media? Here’s Facebook’s advice on how to protect yourself from harm:
Don't trust messages that:
Demand money
Offer gifts
Threaten to delete or ban your Facebook account
Emails about your account always come from:
fb.com
facebook.com
facebookmail.com
Don't click suspicious links:
If you get a suspicious email or message claiming to be from Facebook, then don't click any links or attachments
Don't respond to these emails
Don't answer messages that ask for your:
Password
Account numbers or important personal identifying information
Credit card information
Advice for dealing with scams
Not all messages will look the same, as scammers change their wording over time.
Do not engage with or click any links before you know a message is genuine.
To check if a message is genuine, check directly with the people it came from. Go to the organisation’s website or check your online account directly, or phone them.
Scam messages commonly contain bad or irregular spelling and grammar. Use this as your first sign that this could be a scam.
Never provide any card or personal details if you do click a bad link
If you have paid money already, speak to your bank as soon as possible and let them know what’s happened and report scam to the police.
It can be harder for people that don’t frequently use their phone to recognise a scam, such as the elderly or vulnerable. Check in with your whanau to help them learn how to avoid falling victim to an SMS scam.
For further information see :-
Netsafe Helpline www.netsafe.org.nz
Call netsafe phone number toll-free on 0508 NETSAFE (0508 638 723)
Email help@netsafe.org.nz
Text ‘Netsafe’ to 4282
Credit Reports
You can contact one of NZ’s credit reporting agencies to check your credit record to confirm if your identity has been used to obtain credit without your knowledge. For further information, please refer to:
Illion www.illion.co.nz
Equifax www.equifax.co.nz
Centrix www.centrix.co.nz
