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Online Security

We’re protecting you

At Pick n Pay we are serious about helping you stay safe online and doing our part to protect your data and accounts with us. We urge you to stay safe from the threat of online fraud, through phishing schemes or identity theft.

We've become aware of several scams being spread by email. These scams use sneaky techniques to trick you, our customer, into thinking Pick n Pay, Smart Shopper or our Online Shopping team is giving away vouchers, running competitions, etc and requesting personal information to facilitate such opportunities. These scams may look very realistic and may even use our branding and templates or appear to come from valid email addresses.

Scams typically ask users to perform a specific action under duress (for a limited time period) such as:

  • clicking a link,
  • opening an attachment,
  • completing a questionnaire, or
  • sharing your, your family or friend's personal information (email, ID number, Smart Shopper card number, username, password and OTP - one time password).

Falling for one of these scams could result in your accounts being accessed by unauthorised parties which could mean a breach of your privacy, identity theft, unauthorised spending of your Smart Shopper points or even unauthorised spend on your credit or debit card.

How to Protect Yourself
  • Only enter your Smart Shopper or Online Shopping account details on the official Pick n Pay website (www.picknpay.co.za) or mobile app installed on your phone.
  • Don't use public or internet cafe computers to access your Pick n Pay or banking accounts
  • Be wary of following links from emails sent to you, the safest thing to do is to instead enter the address manually into your web browser and ensure you are accessing the official site.
  • Don't blindly trust websites with "https", this only means the communication is secure but does not verify the website owner is not malicious
  • Install and regularly update antivirus software and ensure that the operating system on your PC or mobile device is up to date
What to do
  • If you ever receive an email, WhatsApp or sms that you suspect is impersonating Pick n Pay, you should contact us on the Customer Careline on 0800 11 22 88.
  • If you think any of your Pick n Pay accounts has been compromised, you should contact us on the Customer Careline on 0800 11 22 88.
  • To see a list of current scams that we are aware of at any time or for some additional online security tips, visit our official website www.picknpay.co.za and select the "scams" tab from the useful links menu item at the bottom of the site.

LATEST KNOWN SCAMS

Stay up to date with the latest known scams either targeting Pick n Pay customers or using Pick n Pay to target you.

If you are ever unsure, please call the Customer Careline on 0800 11 22 88.

  • October 2019: Fake Job Advertisements
    We have been alerted to Facebook posts advertising fictitious employment opportunities ie: cashier positions. These jobs prompt users to submit CVs and other personal information to a scam gmail account (picknpayrecruitments@gmail.com) and then ask the job seekers to submit further personal details as well as pay R250 for a screening fee ahead of the interview to be paid via money transfer at PEP. Please note, Pick n Pay does not use generic websites or Facebook to advertise jobs / positions. Use only the Pick n Pay official website's career page https://www.pnp.co.za/pnpstorefront/pnp/en/careers for information on a career at Pick n Pay. Only submit CVs for related job vacancies via: https://picknpay.erecruit.co/candidateapp/Jobs/Browse.aspx

  • September 2019: Fake Job Advertisements
    We have been alerted to Facebook posts advertising fictitious employment opportunities ie: shelf packer positions. These jobs prompt users to submit CVs and other personal information to a scam gmail account (PicknPayjobs@gmail.com).
    Please note, Pick n Pay does not use generic websites or Facebook to advertise jobs/positions.
    Use only the Pick n Pay official website’s career page https://www.pnp.co.za/pnpstorefront/pnp/en/careers for information on a career at Pick n Pay. Only submit CVs for related job vacancies via: https://picknpay.erecruit.co/candidateapp/Jobs/Browse.aspx

  • August 2019: EMAIL
    PnP Smart Shoppers are sent an email requesting them to click on a link to enable a R3000 birthday giveaway voucher to their bank account. The mail is sent from a fraudulent sender “PNP Online – no-reply11@pnp.co.za”. This is a scam and not a valid PnP email even though the mail uses our branding, mentions our birthday and imitates our standard mailers. Do not click on the link which redirects you to an imitation page (http://cuteladypinkonline.axfree.com/pnp) which then prompts you to enter various personal information, including ID number, Smart Shopper card number, email address, password and OTP.
  • August 2019: EMAIL
    PnP Smart Shoppers are sent an email requesting them to click on a link to redeem a R1000 PNP Birthday voucher from a fraudulent email address PnP Online - no-reply11@pnp.co.za. This is a scam and not a valid PnP email even though the mail uses our branding, mentions our partners and imitates our standard mailers. Do not click on the link which redirects you to an imitation page (http://41.76.212.142/~subscene/pnp2/) which then prompts you to enter various personal information.

  • July 2019: Fake Jobs & Websites
    Searches on the internet for PnP Jobs link to fictitious employment opportunities. These jobs then link users to various sites eventually ending up on a page that asks people to capture personal information such as name, contact details, age, race and to upload their CV. The various websites we have seen recently where these fake jobs have been posted include: News365.co.za; ijobs.co.za; and colca.co.za. Do not submit any information via these sites.
    Pick n Pay does not use generic websites to advertise jobs / positions.
    Use only the Pick n Pay official website’s career page https://www.pnp.co.za/pnpstorefront/pnp/en/careers for information on a career at Pick n Pay.
    Only submit CVs for related job vacancies via: https://picknpay.erecruit.co/candidateapp/Jobs/Browse.aspx
  • July 2019: EMAIL
    PnP Smart Shoppers are sent an email requesting them to click on a link to enable a R3 000 birthday giveaway voucher to their bank account. The mail is sent from a fraudulent sender “PnP Online - noreplyss@pnp.co.za”. This is a scam and not a valid PnP email even though the mail uses our branding, mentions our birthday and imitates our standard mailers . Do not click on the link which redirects you to an imitation page (www.gaupeople.axfree.com/pnp) which then prompts you to enter various personal information, including ID number, Smart Shopper card number, email address, password and OTP.

    Example of scam

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  • July 2019: EMAIL
    PnP Smart Shoppers are sent an email requesting them to click on a link to redeem a R1 500 voucher from a fraudulent sender shows “PnP Online - noreplyss@pnp.co.za”. This is a scam and not a valid PnP email even though the mail uses our branding, mentions our partners and imitates our standard mailers. Do not click on the link which redirects you to an imitation page (http://henrybooster.axfree.com/pnp/) which then prompts you to enter various personal information, including ID number, SmartShopper card number, email address, password and OTP.

    Example of scam

    Redirect example of scam 1.


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  • June 2019: WHATSAPP
    Customers sent WhatsApp message informing them they have won R 500 000.00 asking for personal information and a pin number to redeem the cash / voucher at their nearest Pick n Pay. This is a scam and not a valid PnP message. Do not respond to the sender.

    Example of scam


Here’s a list of ways we’re protecting you online, with a few tips for your online safety.

keep your smart shopper account secure

Your Smart Shopper points are valuable! You can switch to cash back on card, airtime, partner rewards and much more so you’ll definitely want to keep your account safe.

Here are a few tips that’ll help:

  • Keep your Smart Shopper number and your ID number secure; never loan them out for any reason.
  • Be aware when you are at the Smart Shopper kiosk as you would be at an ATM; don’t accept help from strangers and never let someone handle your card
  • Keeping your contact and account details up to date helps us keep your points safe. Check and update your details online or on the mobi app.

verification

Even if you lose your card, someone else using it at the Smart Shopper kiosk still needs to have your ID number to use your points.

In this way, as long as you keep your ID number secret, your points are secure.

suspicious behaviour

We can, in most cases, observe suspicious behaviour on Smart Shopper accounts; in such cases we will automatically block your Smart Shopper card to reduce risk to your account. You will then have to collect a new Smart Shopper card in-store and phone the Customer Careline to have your points transferred fom your old card, to your new card.

it’s in your hands

It’s now possible to update your account with the Pick n Pay Mobile App and Pick n Pay Online. This means that you have more control than ever over your account details, and we all know keeping your account up to date is a great way to stay secure.

6 Tips to keep your guard up

YOUR PASSWORD MUST BE SECURE

Choosing a password that is both memorable and complex can be tough, but there are ways to make it easier for you and difficult for would-be hackers:

  • Make sure your password is at least 8 characters long, the longer it is , the more secure you are.
  • Use a mix of UPPERCASE and lowercase letters, including special symbols -#$@! for example.
  • Replace letters with symbols or numbers. @ = a, 3 = S, & = B. The important thing is to remember which symbols or numbers you’ve used.
  • Steer clear of obvious names or words, there are still too many that use “P@SSWORD” or their name as a password.
  • If you have to use numbers, avoid birthdays, postal codes, or easy-to-guess sequences like”1234”.
  • Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts so that if one is cracked, the others remain secure.

You can continually protect yourself by changing your password regularly. For more tips and advice, visit Get Safe Online.

shop online safely

When buying online, ensure that the site you are visiting is secure - there are a few hints to make this simple:

  • Check the URL; secure sites will show you https://- the s after the http shows you that it’s secure.
  • If you are unsure about a retailer, search Hello Peter or Google to see if anyone else has had issues or problems with the retailer.
  • Does the site you are visiting look suspicious? Typos, poor images and errors are often good signs that the retailer is not trustworthy.
too many passwords to remember?

Having many passwords is one of the best ways to secure your accounts online, but it can be a challenge to remember them all. One handy tip is to have a core password that changes depending on the account.

For example, if your password is rEPp0h$ (shopper backwards):

  • Check the URL; secure sites will show you https://- the s after the http shows you that it’s secure.
  • If you are unsure about a retailer, search Hello Peter or Google to see if anyone else has had issues or problems with the retailer.
  • Does the site you are visiting look suspicious? Typos, poor images and errors are often good signs that the retailer is not trustworthy.

wifi isn’t secure

Be extra careful with your accounts when using WiFi hotspots, as they are not always secure. If you ever log into your accounts using WiFi, make sure you log out of those accounts when you are finished. Follow the link for more on Public WiFi Hotspots.

email scams

When someone compromises your email account, they could use it to send nasty links to your address book - this is in order to use your trustworthy email address to trick others. If you’re ever emailed a single link from a friend’s email address that seems suspicious, ignore it and speak to your friend about it first. Follow the link for more on Email Scams.

SECURE YOUR MAIL

Don’t leave any envelopes or letters that can be used to find your address in any public places or even bins. Try to have your personal information and letters shredded to protect yourself and if you ever move, make sure to update your address or set up a mail redirect. Follow the link for more on Identity Theft.

Use trusted anti-virus software

Find a reputable anti-virus software program for your computer or phone to protect yourself from malicious links and programs – as many malicious programs pretend to look like anti-virus software, try to install only trusted programs. Follow the link for more on Viruses and Spyware.

TOP TIPS

browser warning

When surfing the internet, your browser may warn you about sites known for malware or viruses - when this happens, it’s always safer to close the tab or window than continue. Follow the link for more on Browser Warnings.

phishing scams

Phishing is when fraudsters pose as a trusted institution, like a bank or Pick n Pay, for example in doing this they attempt to get your personal details. These details can include phone numbers, your ID number, address and more. The best way to avoid phishing scams is to never open links in suspicious sites. This can also be done over the phone, which is called vishing and is just as dangerous. Follow the link for more on Phishing Scams.

INSTALL UPDATES

To ensure your phone computer is secure, it’s a good idea to keep your operating system or anti-virus software up to date, as they often patch up vulnerabilities that hackers take advantage of. The more up-to-date your software is, the harder it is to crack. Follow the link for more on Installing Updates.