snatch and grab scams

Snatch and Grab Scams of Sensitive Data | Hackers 

Phone thieves snatching owners’ sensitive data

A new wave of cybercrime is sweeping SA – and this time it’s a hybrid of physical theft and personal data hacking.

Criminal gangs have been snatching smartphones and breaking into them to steal their owners’ personal information, including crucial banking details, using the very technology that’s supposed to keep the public safe.

Hackers turn police technology against innocent citizens

Data is a precious commodity in today’s society – even for criminal suspects. In recent years, law-enforcement organisations have developed technologies to break into criminals’ phones and retrieve information that could help them to prosecute crimes.

Unfortunately, weaknesses in the country’s criminal justice system have resulted in these technologies being leaked to hackers. As a result, criminals are now able to break into stolen phones and steal critical personal information, including:

  • Your home address
  • Your ID and passport numbers
  • Personal contact details of friends and family.
  • Online banking login details and access to banking apps.
  • Work-related financial information including credentials to gain access to company bank accounts.

The typical MO used by criminals to carry out this “double snatch and grab” crime is unfortunately all too familiar to many South Africans: criminals steal a smartphone, either by snatching the owner’s bag or briefcase, or in a mugging attempt.

The new and worrying part of the crime involves data theft in addition to the physical theft of the phone. Using stolen police technology, criminals can hack into your smartphone and help themselves to all the crucial information contained in it.

Once a device has been hacked, cybercriminals could have full access to your banking details, giving them the ability to drain your accounts and max out your credit cards.

Furthermore, it could be tricky to prove that these transactions were not authentic since they would be initiated from your device using your own credentials – unless you take quick action to prevent data theft from occurring on your stolen device.

How to protect yourself against the double snatch and grab scam

There are several ways that you can stay safe against the latest  wave of personal data theft .

  1. Activate face or fingerprint ID as an authentication method. This will require you to be present when the phone is used and may help to block access to your banking app.
  2. Opt for two-step authentication to an email address that’s not on your phone. By keeping the login details of the email address off your device, you’ll block criminals’ attempts to use it to authenticate their transactions.
  3. Report your phone missing as soon as it’s stolen. First, notify your bank and decouple your device from your online banking profile. Then let your mobile provider know and open a case with SAPS for insurance and fraud cover purposes.

Your data is only safe in one place: the cloud

Cybercriminals are always finding new ways to compromise your personal data. One of the best ways to keep it safe is by using secure cloud storage.

Browse our range of backup packages for businesses and families and take a hard line against cybercriminals today.