The SABC slogan goes: “Pay your TV licence. It’s the right thing to do” or something to that effect. Falling for this phishing scam, will NOT be the right thing to do.

This phishing scam from the “SABC” about payment of your TV Licence, is very clever as it uses a so-called encrypted-PDF to capture data like the victim’s ID Number, Passport Number or Company Registration number. Once the data is captured, it asks you for banking account details etc. to do the “payment” for a TV Licence. The data is captured by the PDF, which is then sent to a server controlled by the criminals, who will use it to defraud them of their money.

This is what the phishing email looks like (with the dangerous parts removed):

From: forged_address@lettersonline.co.za [mailto:forged_address@lettersonline.co.za]
Sent: Monday, 24 July 2017 13:14
To: University, Address <noreply@sun.ac.za> <noreply@sun.ac.za>

Subject: SABC requires you to make payment on your TV license account

Hi,
Please find attached correspondence for your attention. The attachment is password protect.

The password for the attachment will be one of the following three options:
1. Your ID Number
2. Your Passport Number
3. Your Company Registration Number

Kind Regards
LettersOnline Team

The PDF attachment will ask you for a password if you open it.  Do not open or enter any details on this PDF. The SABC will never send you an email with a link or attached file to demand that you pay your licence. Neither will they send an unbranded mail or with no personalised salutation.

[Article by David Wiles]