By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Proverbs 24: [5] “A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength”.*
*These are the days of great global communication channels.*
*But the enemy is also using the opportunity to operate the largest scanning machine ever, with the intention of finding out what you are worth or what you have, in order to steal from you.*
*You therefore cannot afford to be careless or carefree, not at all.*
*Your phone, your iPad, your laptop and desktop, your ATM card, your bank account, your email, your WhatsApp account, etc, are all platforms of global communication that could expose you to the activities of fraudster and people with sinister motives.*
*As good as these platforms and channels are, they can expose you to fraud and damages within a twinkle of an eye.*
*Ecclesiastes 1: [18] “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow”.*
*The scanning machines are so massive and global to the extent that someone in Malaysia or India or Russia can tamper with your email, Facebook account and WhatsApp account. Your bank account at UBA, Ajilosun Street, Ado Ekiti or at First Bank at Yaba Street, Ondo can be manipulated and tampered with. This is the reason for the introductory statement of today’s Reflection above.*
*It is a case of the enemy capitalising on a system that is for positive use to achieve their fraudulent and nefarious intentions.*
*You may, or may not be familiar with the following common IT terminologies, but please pay attention to them because so much about your finances and communication accounts could depend on them and what you know :*
*1) AI-Powered Phishing Scams : Fraudsters use artificial intelligence to craft convincing messages that mimic banks, tricking victims into revealing sensitive info.*
*2) Fake Mobile Banking Apps : Scammers clone banking apps and distribute them via unofficial stores, harvesting login details.*
*3)SIM-Swap Fraud : Criminals hijack phone numbers to intercept banking alerts and reset passwords.*
*4) Social Media Investment Scams : Fake loan offers and crypto deals redirect victims to fake banking portals.*
*5) Public Wi-Fi Hacking : Hackers intercept data on shared networks, stealing sensitive info.*
*6) Malware in Everyday Apps : Hidden malware tracks keystrokes and screenshots, targeting banking users.*
*7) Deepfake Voice Fraud : Scammers imitate bank officials or family members, pressuring victims into transactions.*
*8) Weak Passwords and PIN Reuse : Simple passwords make it easy for attackers to breach multiple accounts.*
*9) Account Takeovers : Leaked personal data is used to guess banking login details.*
*10) Insider Abuse : Bank employees or insiders facilitate or commit fraud.*
*These are just a few of the examples.*
*Tomorrow God willing, we shall discuss some ways of securing these accounts and platforms for your own good.*
Top of the day to you
©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
