4 Scams in South Africa that are on the Rise

It is vital that you do not fall into an online scammers trap, especially recently as online scams have been on the rise in South Africa.

Here are the most common signs of these four popular online scams that you need to be aware of in order to not become the next victim.

Online Goods. Scammers love to target those who are selling valuables online. They may tell you that they want to meet and pick up the goods and pay via EFT. Either they will reverse the transfer once they have received the goods or they will send you fake proof of payment.

Always meet in a safe, public environment and rather accept payments in cash only.

Account Information. If you receive an email or SMS from your bank claiming that your account number or information has been changed, be very wary! A lot of people fall for this and end up paying a scammer for absolutely nothing, believing that it is a legitimate message from their bank.

If you receive messages like this, rather contact your bank to double-check that it is real.

Phone Blocking. Similar to other scams where you unknowingly give out your private information, a scammer will block your phone so you cannot see that they are withdrawing your money. This means you can’t take the correct steps to stop the scam because you do not realise it is happening.

Fake Loans. If you apply for a loan online be aware of fake companies. They are easy to spot because they will approve your loan, regardless of the amount you request, however, there will be an initiation fee to get the loan.

Do not ever pay a fee in order to receive a loan!

Have you been the victim of a scam? Please contact our OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) department on 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za

Social Media Safety – Facebook

With the rise of social media came the rise of private information becoming accessible to just about anyone who knows how to use the internet!

With the right safety precautions you can still enjoy Facebook and other social media networks, but always make sure to use these safety tips.

Make sure your password is secure

With all your personal information exposed on Facebook, it can be easy for someone to guess your password. A good password should have a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

Don’t friend people you don’t know

If you don’t know who they are why would you become friends with them? It may seem innocent, but cybercriminals often use fake profiles to send out spam and even steal your personal info.

Protect your location

While it may seem fun to share a photo of yourself and then add your location, it has some hidden risks. Potential criminals can easily see whether you are home or not, allowing them to take advantage and break in. Another danger you could face includes stalkers!

Change who can see your personal information

Have you listed your address and phone number on Facebook? It may seem handy to do so, but you don’t want everyone seeing this information. For maximum privacy, make sure to set these to be “me only” or choose who gets to see what.

NEVER overshare

The best way to be safe? Have some common sense! Be sure that what you’re posting online will not compromise your safety. Did you know that a deleted photo will remain on the Facebook servers for months after it is gone? It is harder to retract information, so simply do not share it in the first place!

It’s better to be safe than sorry, so go ahead and use these safety tips!

Need help with your social media security? Contact our Digital Forensics department on 021 110 0422 or email contact@tcgforensics.co.za

What’s doable in an Audio Investigation?

Audio forensics and investigations are defined as the field of digital forensics that is related to the acquisition, analysis, and evaluation of sound recordings. The results of an audio investigation are usually presented as evidence in court cases, whether they come from a criminal investigation or part of an official inquiry.

We spoke to Sound Engineer, Kiana Schulla Pronk, to find out all there is to know about what is doable in an audio investigation.

I was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. After becoming involved in the music scene in my high school years, I attended City Varsity School of Media and Creative Arts in Cape Town (CBD) 2016 - 2017. I completed a 2-year Diploma in Sound Engineering and graduated in March of 2018.

This institution had the resources to train us and give us the tools to become an expert in the field that we study, to which I chose Sound Engineering. For 2 years, I studied full time and underwent training to become an Audio Engineer.

Within the two years of studying at this institution. We learned the basics of the broad spectrum, categorising it into a few sectors – all with sound-based, but different processes. Our different categories would differ between Live Sound (concerts), Film Audio Engineer, Mastering and Production, Composition and Post Production.

Where I felt my strengths were was in the post-production sector, analysing audio, as well as cleaning ‘noisy’ audio as well as the Sound Design sector.

I am proficient in DAW Systems such as Pro Tools, Cubase and Reason Rewire. Frequency hearing tests and analysing sound on various frequencies were part of my training.  

Since the year 2018, I have been assisting various companies with audio analysis, identification, and comparison. Additionally, I have been doing my training with the company TCG Digital Forensics and educating myself with software systems such as Praat & Diamond Cut Forensics Audio Lab to assist in finding, analysing and recording evidence that is relevant to a case.

In analysing Audio with the above-mentioned software, we have the tools to:

Forensics Audio Authentication, Voice-Printing & Formant Analysis
File Transcription / Time Expansion / Speed and/or Pitch Change
Audio Restoration & Enhancement
Audio Editing & Voice Garbling / Voice Disguising
Audio & Acoustical Measurements
Audio File Format Conversions
Statistical Measurement Tools


Any piece of audio recording can be looked at and with the information on how the audio piece is recorded, can already give investigators hints/tip offs in disciplinary hearings or official court cases.

I am currently rendering services to: 

Company Name: TCG Digital Forensics (Craig Pedersen)

Location: 32 Woodbridge Business park, 452 Koeberg Road, Milnerton, 7441
Tel: +27 21 110 0422 | Mobile: +27 79 691 0138
Email: contact@tcgforensics.co.za
Website:  www.tcgforensics.co.za  

Company Name: TSU International – K&E Division (Adv Herman Bosman)

Location: 17 Main Road, Strand, 7140
Tel: +27 21 492 5951 / Mobile: +27 82 857 6096
Email: k.e1@tsuint.com
Website:  www.tsuint.com

The most popular Online Scams that everyone is falling for

As the internet expands so do the online scams and how sophisticated they are becoming.

What online scams all have in common is that they prey on your fear, greed, and ignorance – here are some of the most sophisticated online scams on the internet that everyone seems to fall for.

Phishing – One of the most popular scams out there is email phishing. Victims of phishing scams will be tricked into giving out their passwords through legitimate emails and seemingly trustworthy businesses. According to a recent study, nearly 100 000 attempts of phishing are reported each month.
Learn more about phishing scams here.

The Nigerian Prince Scam – One of the oldest online scams in the books is the Nigerian prince scam. You’ll receive an email from a Nigerian prince or investor offering you a chance of financial gain, the catch is you need to pay a small portion upfront or give out your private banking information.

Ticket Fraud – Victims of the ticket fraud scam will be tricked into buying fake tickets for popular sporting events, concerts, and other events. Often, the tickets will have forged barcode or be duplicates, while other times you’ll pay and never receive any tickets. Learn more about ticket scams here.

Celebrity Impersonators – Similar to phishing, online scammers sometimes like to pretend to be celebrities or influencers. The scam usually involves messaging victims and promising “gifts” if they click on a link.

Ransomware – Some of the worst scams involve ransomware. Hackers will install malware on your computer that blocks you from accessing your files, from there payment is demanded, often Bitcoin, in order for you to unblock your personal files.

GoFundMe Fakes – Another thriving online scam is using crowdfunding websites to take advantage of people’s generosity and can them into donating money for a fake fund.

Some of the most elaborate and sophisticated scams are doing the rounds on the internet right now, so always be on the lookout and use your common sense!

Want to know more about online scams as well as more about our Digital Forensics and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) services? Contact us on 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za | www.contact@tcgforensics.co.za. Alternatively, take a look at our website www.tcgforensics.co.za | www.osint.co.za