07/10/2026
๐จ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ข๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฑ๐๐น๐๐
As digital technology becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, the ability to use online and mobile services safely has become an important part of financial wellbeing and personal security. This is particularly relevant for older adults, who may increasingly encounter sophisticated phishing messages, fraudulent telephone calls, impersonation attempts and other forms of cyber-enabled fraud.
As part of its commitment to meaningful community engagement, the University of the Free State (UFS) Business School participated in a cybersecurity awareness initiative presented through Gerontologie: Betekenisvolle Veroudering, an initiative of the Dutch Reformed Church, at the ENGO Hall in Bloemfontein.
The session, presented by Dr Cornelie Crous CA(SA), Senior Lecturer at the UFS Business School, focused on helping older members of the community protect themselves, their personal information and their finances in an increasingly complex digital environment.
๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Cybersecurity can often appear highly technical. For individuals using smartphones, WhatsApp, online banking and other digital services, however, some of the most important protective measures are relatively simple.
The session therefore concentrated on practical situations that participants may encounter in their daily lives. These included fraudulent calls from individuals claiming to represent a bank, requests for PINs or one-time passwords (OTPs), WhatsApp messages from unknown numbers impersonating children or grandchildren, and messages containing suspicious links.
Participants were encouraged to apply four practical safeguards:
1. Keep PINs, passwords and OTPs private. These credentials should never be provided to someone who contacts you by telephone or WhatsApp.
2. End suspicious calls and make contact independently. If someone claims to be calling from a bank about an urgent problem, end the call and contact the bank using an official number, such as the number printed on the bank card.
3. Verify unexpected WhatsApp requests for money. A message claiming to be from a family member using a new number should be independently verified before any money is transferred.
4. Avoid suspicious links. Unexpected messages directing recipients to websites relating to banking, SASSA, SARS or other financial matters should be treated with caution.
๐๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
The rapid development of artificial intelligence adds another dimension to digital safety. AI can be used legitimately to improve productivity and access to information, but the same technologies can also make fraudulent communications more convincing.
For this reason, digital literacy increasingly requires more than recognising poorly written scam messages. Individuals need habits that remain effective even when a message, email or telephone interaction appears credible. Independent verification, protecting authentication information and resisting pressure to act immediately are therefore becoming increasingly important.
The emphasis of the session was consequently not on creating fear of technology, but on providing participants with clear actions they can apply when confronted with an uncertain situation.
๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ฒ
Cybersecurity awareness is most effective when information remains available after a training session. Each attendee therefore received a practicalโBly Veilig met Jou Geldโ fridge guide, designed to be kept close to the telephone as an everyday reminder.
The guide summarises the four key protective measures and also provides emergency contact information to use where an individual believes that banking information may have been compromised.
Providing a physical reference guide is particularly valuable because a person experiencing a suspected scam may need to make a decision quickly. Instead of relying on remembering everything discussed during the session, participants have a simple resource that can assist them in deciding what to do next.
๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐
For the UFS Business School, initiatives of this nature reflect a broader understanding of the role of a business school within society. Knowledge and expertise should not remain confined to classrooms, research publications and formal qualifications. It can also be translated into practical interventions that strengthen individuals, organisations and communities.
Cybersecurity and financial protection are closely connected to responsible management, governance, ethics and financial literacy. By sharing this knowledge with members of the community, the Business School can contribute to building greater confidence and resilience among people navigating an increasingly digital world.
The initiative also demonstrates the value of collaboration between higher education institutions and community organisations. Through partnerships such as the engagement with Gerontologie: Betekenisvolle Veroudering, academic expertise can be translated into accessible knowledge with an immediate practical application.
For the UFS Business School, community engagement of this kind forms part of its commitment to ensuring that knowledge creates value beyond the university itself โ helping people make informed decisions, protect themselves and participate more confidently in a rapidly changing digital society.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด ๐ข ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐บ ๐จ๐ถ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐๐ณ ๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด๐ช๐ด๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ข๐จ๐ฆ.
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