How to spot a Social Media Scam

Social media has made it possible for people to interact with each other from all over the world – everyone knows what everyone else is doing, where they’re going on vacation, when they got married, etc.

However, social media networks have also made it possible for more users to become victims of scams. Over the last few years, social media scams have basically quadrupled with fake accounts popping up everywhere.

Don’t become the next victim of a scam – here’s how to spot, prevent and deal with social media scams:

- There is an ad or poster offering an amazing deal or job that sounds too good to be true.
- A job, prize or loan application asks you to pay upfront beforehand.
- A popular company uses a Yahoo or Gmail email account to contact you.
- You are urged to act immediately!
- They ask you to share your private information.
- You get a friend request from a “friend” but they ask you random questions or for money.

How to prevent social media scams from happening:

- Preventing social media scams is easy; all you have to do is use your common sense!
- Always think before you click on something.
- If it sounds dodgy or overly intrusive, ignore it.
- Never share your personal information on social media sites.
- Be wary when it comes to loan scams – here are the red flags to look out for.
- Never agree to pay for something upfront without being certain that it’s legitimate.
- Go through your social media privacy settings on a regular basis to ensure they haven’t changed.
- Never post any personal information about yourself that can be stolen and used to steal your identity.

If you’re a victim, here’s what to do:

- Shut down your computer and use a different device to change all your passwords immediately.
- Put out a fraud alert on your credit to stop any loans or lines of credit the scammer may try to take out.
- Call our OSINT division for professional assistance: 021 110 0422 | contact@osint.co.za
- Tell your friends so that they know about the scam and can avoid it if it pops up on their social media feeds.

Do not let the social media scammers bait and hook you – always be safe online!

The 7 Worst Social Media Scams

Cyber criminals are everywhere, they’re even terrorizing your social media news feed!

In this day and age your personal information such as where you go, what you do, who you chat to and what you like can be used as valuable data by cyber criminals. These cyber criminals will sell your private data to people who will use it to target ads, launch campaigns and other malicious operations.

You may be thinking to yourself, I’m only one person; no one is going to target me. Well, you’re very wrong! Should you fall victim to a social media scam it not only affects you, it affects your entire network of friends and contacts.

Make sure you know these common social media scams and avoid them as best you can…

1. Quizzes, Surveys & Contests. These scams are cute enough to make you think they’re completely innocent. And while you might think it’s all fun and games when they ask you your mothers date of birth or maiden name so you can see what Game of Thrones character you are, they are in fact getting information about you and your loved ones – do not click on these!

2. Clickbait. It’s almost irresistible to ignore that headline and not click on that unbelievable article, but the truth is it’s just bad actors doing a really good job at knowing what clickbait will tempt you. Should you click you’ll be redirected to where they want you to go, most of the time it’s to a fake login page where they can steal your information!

3. Cash Requests. Someone you know is desperately asking for money be aware that it could be someone who has hacked into their account and is not spamming every one of their friends, asking for money. Always double check with your friend if you receive a request for money on a social media website.

4. Short URLs. They save space, but criminals on social media sites are using these shortened URLs to trick you into clicking them and spreading virus, malware and so much more! Before you click on anything, check on http://www.checkshorturl.com/ to ensure it will take you to the official website.

5. Suspicious Friend Requests. This one is obvious, but whenever someone sends you a friend request always ask yourself, why? If you can’t think of a reason rather ignore the friend request. In today’s digital world, you can never trust the kindness of strangers, especially those on social media.

6. Double friend Requests. You have probably experienced this one before, you received a friend requests from a friend you already have and justify it as their new profile or a mishap and accept the request. Well, it’s not your friend; it’s a cybercriminal hoping you let them in!

7. Fake Emergencies. These “emergencies” will seem to be from a friend or the social media site itself informing you of something critically important on your account. Cyber criminals are hoping you’ll be a panicked state and enter your login details, giving them access to your private information. Never trust links within messages, posts, or emails.

The good news for you is that these scams are easy to spot and avoid, the bad news is that millions of users who are not tech-savvy will be innocent enough to fall for them!

Have you fallen victim? At OSINT, we will do what we can to assist you, call 021 110 0422, email contact@osint.co.za or learn more here www.osint.co.za

Are you Dating an Online Scammer?

Dating scams cost unsuspecting people money as well as heartache each and every year, but still people continue to fall for the tricks and so online dating scams continue to rise.

These cybercriminals will play a long game to cheat you out of your money, rather than using a simple phishing email or scam. If you are using an online dating app or chatting on social media, please be aware that these cybercriminals do exist and you could even dating one!

Be sure to look out for these signs to tell if the person you’re dating online is actually a scammer!

1. Suspicious Profile

A typical scammers dating profile will have only a few images that have been posted recently. Most often these images are model or glamour stock photos. They’re looking for singles in your area, but they work or live in another country. Be wary if the profile has limited information and only one or two photos.

2. Moving the Conversation

Online dating scammers will try their best to move the conversation to another form of messaging such as Skype, Facebook, WhatsAppor SMS. If they try and take the conversation elsewhere – be on alert!

3. Professing their Love

You’ve just started chatting and they profess their love for you and gush about the deep emotional connection you have. This is all a way to emotional manipulate you, especially if you are feeling isolated and vulnerable at the time. Always lookout for those who are overly flattering in the early stages of the communication.

4. Something always comes up

A common line used by scammers is planning to meet up with you but then an unexpected issue always comes up just before it happens. Because they can’t meet up with you, this might even be one of the first reasons they ask you for money, perhaps they’ll lie and say they don’t have money for a plane ticket or to travel.

5. Avoiding Video Chat

Did you know that the majority of online dating scams go back to those living in Nigeria? So they may avoid phone calls or voice chats because their accents and appearance will give them away. No matter where they are from, someone scamming you will be using fake photos so they will always make excuses not to video chat. Do not be fooled by someone who says they love you and then blames shyness for not wanted to communicate over video.

6. Requesting Money

The ultimate goal that an online dating scammer has is to rob you of your money, so there are a range of scenarios they will make up. Some of the most popular include: a sick family member or emergency, health issues and travel problems. You are definitely the target of a scam if you ever get any kind of financial request!

7. Assisting with Financial Transactions

A newer kind of online dating scam is turning the victim into a money mule or money laundering accomplice! Be on full alert if you are ever asked to do any kind of financial transaction or exchange, they would possibly be luring you into doing something illegal.

If you choose to date online, please be sure to take the right measures to protect yourself and overall just use your common sense.

If you think you’ve been a victim of an online dating scam or perhaps you think you might be dating a scammer right now – contact the OSINT department in South Africa on 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za | alternatively visit the website to find out more www.osint.co.za

Why does Social Media Intelligence matter?

Do you know what social media intelligence is? Well to put it simply, it is the collection, curation and overall analysis of data found online in order to provide a look into the actions and habits of a certain individual or group.

In a time where most of the people in the world are on social media networks, social media intelligence can be used to learn a lot by just studying what they do online.

Here are some interesting social media facts and stats:

 - The top eight social media networks are Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, Twitter, WhatsApp and YouTube.

- Did you know that more than half of the public use social media at least once a day?

- YouTube is the most popular social media sharing website.

- Facebook is the most popular social media sharing website – used by almost 70% of adults!

- Social media use is higher for those who are younger – almost 90% of users are 18-29 years old.

So why does social media intelligence and evidence found on social media matter?

Every single day a huge amount of information and data is created on social media networks, and social media intelligence is there to study and understand the behaviour of those who are online.

Social media intelligence is a way for professional digital forensics experts to gather, interpret and understand data that is found online, this is especially important in social media investigations.

It is important to note that social media evidence can be deleted, changed and locked down by certain privacy settings. That is why it takes a professional to preserve the online evidence so it is admissible in an official court of law.

For more information about social media intelligence as well as open source intelligence and more in the digital forensics world, please visit www.osint.co.za | www.tcgforensics.co.za or contact the TCG Digital Forensics Division on 021 110 0422 or email contact@tcgforensics.co.za | contact@osint.co.za

Always think before you hit Send!

Did you know that your SMSs, WhatsApp or social network inbox messages can be used as evidence against you in a court of law? Well, for those who are possibly heading towards a divorce or breakup need to be extra careful about sending messages!

Because of all the advancements in the area of digital forensics, including social media investigations and cellular forensics, there has been a massive spike in cases that use evidence found on digital devices such as smartphones and computers.

Many people send messages without even thinking twice, this is known as “spontaneous venting”, however it can come back to hurt you, so always rethink what you’re saying before you hit send…

When it comes to evidence in a divorce, usually a nasty one, things such as SMSs, WhatsApp messages and other direct messages are most commonly used as well as emails, phone numbers, GPS locations and search history.

Most divorce lawyers will tell their clients to stay off social media platforms and avoid sending nasty messages and posting unnecessary statuses, the sad thing is that most of these clients choose not to follow this vital advice.

Anything that is in writing, you have to assume that someday a judge is going to see it. So, if it is not something that you don’t want a judge to see – don’t hit the send button!

You can always erase your messages, but that doesn’t mean they’re gone forever…

With the latest tools and forensic software, the digital forensics investigators at the TCG Forensics Division as well as OSINT are able to assist investigators and attorneys in Cape Town, Pretoria and nationally. For more information about the digital forensics services on offer please call 021 110 0422 or email contact@tcgforensics.co.za

Did you know Digital Forensics Investigators use Social Media Networks to gather Evidence?

When it comes to social media networks, there is a lot under the surface that you may not see… It’s not just “likes”, “shares” and “stories”, there is vital evidence and records that are imbedded into all social media sites, particularly, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

In most investigations, digital forensics experts are scouring social media platforms because:

> A background check needs to be conducted
> Someone is making an accusation against a witness
> A corporate position on an issue, fact or circumstance needs to be determined
> Proof regarding someone being cyber bullied or threatened
> Establishing association between two people
> Evidencing intent, weakness or motive
> Investigating someone’s physical location in regards to their alibi

Over the years people have argued that using social media networks to acquire evidence against them violates their privacy rights, whether the site itself infringes the privacy of its users or even whether illegal activity occurs with actual knowledge of it happening.

When it comes to this it is vital that the digital evidence is preserved and gathered in the proper way. To properly collect and authenticate social networking content, the correct tools and programs need to be used at all times.

Significant digital forensics skills are needed to analyze the preserved data to answer questions like:

- Who is posting the content?
- Is the content offensive and can it be used in convincing evidence to a real, live person?
- When was this content posted to social media?
- How much of it exists across the entire social networking platform?
- What other related evidence is there?
- How accurate is the reported physical location?

Everyone uses social media; it is a vital part of our lives no matter how much you deny it. So, because people choose to broadcast their personal lives to the public, digital forensic investigators can use it to get current and accurate evidence.

At TCG Digital Forensics, we can provide you with a wide variety of services, from OSINT services, social media investigations and data recovery to digital suspect profiling and CCTV image verification.

What do you know about our OSINT Services?

What is OsInt?

Open Source Intelligence refers to the use of publicly accessible information as well as databases to collect information in a structured manner. Information is gained from Public and Private Databases, the surface web, the deep web and the dark web



Who uses OsInt?

OsInt is used by private and forensic investigators, attorneys, law enforcement, intelligence organisations, fraud investigators, human resources professionals, tracing agents and commercial enterprises. It is a key component of performing due diligence studies on persons and businesses.

What is SmInt?

Social Media Intelligence is the use of information stored within social media platforms to further the knowledge of a person, group or incident. Often this information is available unbeknownst to the user. While the information is not accessible at the click of a button it can be uncovered with queries and structured data calls.



Is OsInt software?

No, OsInt and SmInt are processes. These processes often use software for recording the process or information uncovered but they remain human processes. Analysis of data still vests with a human being and not an algorithm.

How technical is it?

There are different levels of OsInt ability, from a basic researcher to programmers and analysts. A good degree of computer literacy is essential as is an understanding of the internet and investigative methodology.



Can't someone just share their tools with me?

They could, but that would only provide a tool. Much like giving someone who can drive a 250 ton crane driver won't make them a crane operator. OsInt requires a structured investigative approach and an understanding of how the results and pivots meet. This requires hands-on training.

Is this training available online?

We don't provide online training. OsInt as a skill/ ability requires hands-on practice and lab environments in order to develop best practices. Each countries level of data availability differs substantially as do privacy laws between jurisdictions. As such, you need someone experienced to guide you.



Is this training expensive?

Comparatively, no. A level 1 OsInt/SmInt course will cost around R2000-2500 per delegate, per day. This is well priced in the commercial training sector as the skills required for teaching OsInt are scarce and in high demand.

Do you actively practice or only teach?

Our company is an active Digital Forensics practice and as such all trainers are experienced and use their skills daily in the furtherance of their job functions. We train from a perspective of experience coupled with theoretical knowledge.



What can you DO with OsInt?

Our practice is a Digital Forensics lab environment. As such we use OsInt for profiling suspects in civil and criminal matters, tracing people, locating digital evidence, analysing and verifying digital information, providing expert witness testimony in court and of course Due Diligence investigations.

Is group training available?

Yes, we do provide group training on request (minimum 5 people). Costs are dependent on the location, travel expenses, etc.



Is one-on-one training possible?

At this stage we do not provide one-on-one training but are always open to discussion.

Is OsInt legal?

Absolutely, it's key to learn the laws around data privacy and to ensure that you're working within them at all times.



Is this course SAQA Accredited?

At this point no, we are however in the process of accrediting our training material with SAQA and will advise once this is complete. As a 40 hour course curriculum with specific outcomes we do not anticipate too many glitches with achieving this.

Who are your course instructors?

Our course instructors are chosen based on their proven OsInt/SmInt experience as well as their ability to present and impart knowledge. The majority of our instructors have a policing background as well as commercial experience. Some of the instructor crew are chosen for presentation of specific modules in which they hold strong credentials and expertise.

Do you employ OsInt Analysts and Researchers?

Yes, we certainly do. Positions are advertised on this site as well as on our Facebook page as they become available.

Please note that our next OSINT seminar is being held on Tuesday the 9th of July in Midrand.
During this session, you will learn about the available information and tools to use, to assist with your case, or to let you know what is possible. Please note that due to limited available space, bookings are essential! Cost is R650 excl VAT. 

Please feel free to contact us on +27 21 110 0422 | +27 10 110 0904 or email contact@tcgforensics.co.za. Take a look at our website here www.osint.co.za