It is a known fact that the internet has been plagued with people who use dubious means to steal the vital information of users by using spammy and phishing site that disguises itself in the name of a fake COVID-19 grant or a fake MTN gift promotion.
A phishing site is a site that seeks to steal sensitive information of users, such as passwords, credit card details and usernames. A phishing site usually disguises itself as the original trustworthy one and may trick unsuspecting users into providing sensitive data.
A more common approach used by these cyber criminals in Ghana is the spreading of fake promotions and gifts claimed to be from the telcos like MTN.
Another approach is a post about a COVID-19 grant from government. Once you open the link, you will be asked to apply by entering your name and telephone number to get the grant.
These sites may ask you to share the link to a number of WhatsApp groups and enter your details to receive your gift usually in the form of e-cash or data bundle. The purpose of these fake sites is to gain unusual traffic and also steal sensitive user information.
Users are advised to inspect the authenticity of links before clicking them. MTN hosts all their promotions on their official website https://mtn.com.gh and sometimes on their online portal https://eselfcare.mtn.com.gh. All sites other than these are likely to be phishing and spammy sites.
MTN has acknowledged this cyber danger and has inscribed a warning on their eselfcare portal as follows:
Dear Valued Customer, Welcome to our Online Services. MTN advises you not to share or expose your password. MTN will not accept liability for any incident that may occur as a result of sharing or exposing of passwords…
MTN
Finally, if you have any doubts on any online promotion from MTN, you can call their call centre via 100 to seek clarification. Stay safe, avoid suspicious links and protect yourself from cyber criminals.