Cyber Sense with Declan Hardie (Cyber Security Trends)

CyberSense - Spam Calls & How to Stop Them

📞 CYBER SENSE ALERT: Spam Calls – Don't Engage, Just Hang Up 📞 Spam calls in South Africa are exploding. Scammers pretend to be your bank, SARS, or your cellphone provider. Their goal? To panic you into sharing OTPs, PINs, or money. Your Spam Call Defense Plan: LET UNKNOWN NUMBERS…

6 May 4 min

CyberSense - 2 Factor Authentication

🔐 CYBER SENSE ALERT: Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Your Digital Bodyguard 🇿🇦 A password alone is not enough. Hackers can steal, guess, or buy your password online. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) adds a second lock to your accounts – and only you have the key. What is 2FA? It's a second…

29 Apr 4 min

CyberSense - Sim Swap Scam

CYBER SENSE ALERT: SIM Swapping – The South African Nightmare 📱 Criminals trick your mobile provider into swapping your SIM to their phone. Suddenly, your phone goes dead – and they have access to your banking OTPs and verification codes. Your SIM Swap Survival Plan: ADD A SIM SWAP PIN…

22 Apr 4 min

CyberSense - SARS Tax Scam

🧾 CYBER SENSE ALERT: Spotting SARS Scams in South Africa 🧾 Fake SARS messages are everywhere. Here's how to protect your tax information. Your SARS Safety Plan: KNOW HOW SARS CONTACTS YOU. SARS will never send a link asking for your PIN, password, or banking details. SARS communicates mainly through…

13 Apr 4 min

CyberSense - Online Shopping Scams

🛍️ CYBER SENSE ALERT: How to Spot Online Shopping Scams in South Africa Fake stores and fraudulent sellers are everywhere. Here's how to protect your money. Your Safe Shopper Checklist: VERIFY THE SELLER. How old is their Facebook page or profile? Do reviews look real or are they all posted…

1 Apr 4 min

CyberSense - What to do if your phone has been stolen

Every second counts. Here's your emergency action plan for South Africa. Your 7-Step Emergency Plan: BORROW A PHONE IMMEDIATELY. Don't wait. Act now. CALL YOUR BANK'S FRAUD HOTLINE. Block banking apps. Stop transactions. This is your top priority. CALL YOUR NETWORK PROVIDER. Tell them to block your SIM immediately. Without…

19 Mar 4 min

CyberSense - What to do if you have been scammed?

Your 5-Step Action Plan: CALL YOUR BANK IMMEDIATELY. Use the 24/7 fraud number on the back of your bank card. Freeze accounts, stop payments, reverse transactions. Every minute counts. GATHER EVIDENCE. Screenshot messages, save numbers, note dates and times. This helps banks, police, and platforms investigate. REPORT IT OFFICIALLY. SAPS:…

18 Feb 4 min

CyberSense - How to tell if your account has been hacked?

🕵️ CYBER SENSE ALERT: How to Know If You’ve Been Hacked 🕵️ Hackers often work in secret. Here are the quiet signs an intruder is in your accounts. The 3 Key Signs to Look For: CHECK YOUR LOGIN HISTORY. Go to your account Security settings (in email, social media, bank…

11 Feb 3 min

CyberSense - Phishing Emails

📧 CYBER SENSE ALERT: Spot the Modern Phishing Email 📧 Today's phishing emails are perfect copies from real companies. Don't get fooled. Your 3-Step Detective Work: CHECK THE GREETING. A real company will use your name. “Dear User” or “Dear Customer” is a major red flag. HOVER, DON'T CLICK. Hover…

3 Feb 3 min

CyberSense - Smishing & Vishing 2.0

How do you defend yourself against a conversation? You have to break the script. Rule One: Never Trust Caller ID or the Sender’s Name in a Text. Spoofing is effortless. That text from “FedEx” or call from “SARS” is almost certainly fake. Assume it’s fraudulent until you verify. Rule Two:…

28 Jan 3 min

CyberSense - Juice Jacking

Your 3-Step Safe Charging Plan: USE A WALL OUTLET, NOT A USB PORT. Carry your own AC charger and plug into a standard power socket. It’s safe—electricity only, no data. CARRY A “USB DATA BLOCKER.” This cheap adapter goes between a public cable and your phone. It blocks data transfer…

21 Jan 3 min

CyberSense - Credential Stuffing

Hackers use bots to try your leaked passwords on every website. If you reuse passwords, they can break in. Your 3-Step Defense Plan: USE A PASSWORD MANAGER: This is your #1 tool. It creates and stores a strong, unique password for every account. You only remember one master password. TURN…

20 Jan 3 min

CyberSense - QR Code Phishing

You see QR codes everywhere—menus, posters, parking meters. Scammers are now hiding dangerous links in them. This is called "Quishing." Scan a bad code, and you could lose login details or download malware. Your 3-Step Safety Scan: PAUSE & QUESTION: Does this QR code seem out of place? Is it…

6 Jan 3 min

CyberSense - AI Impersonation

CyberSense is a weekly 3-4 minute cybersecurity podcast hosted by Declan Hardie on Impact 103 FM, delivering practical tips to help South Africans spot scams and stay safe online. We partner with community and commercial radio stations across South Africa, providing episodes completely free for broadcast to spread cyber safety…

10 Dec 2025 3 min

CyberSense - Smart Devices

🏠 CYBER SENSE ALERT: Secure Your Smart Home – IoT Safety 🇿🇦 Your smart doorbell, thermostat, and voice assistant are convenient. But hackers see them as a weak back door into your home network. Your 3 Rules for a Secure Smart Home: CHANGE THE DEFAULT PASSWORD. New devices often come…

3 Dec 2025 3 min

CyberSense - Supply Chain Attack

🛡️ CYBER SENSE ALERT: Supply Chain Attacks – Update Smartly 🛡️ Even if you do everything right, hackers can hide malware inside software updates from trusted companies. This is called a Supply Chain Attack. Your 3 Shields Against This Threat: NEVER UPDATE FROM AN EMAIL LINK. Scammers send fake "Urgent…

26 Nov 2025 3 min