Staying Safe On Kreekafrica.com

It is our priority to keep our members and the African freelance community safe, and so we have put measures in place to ensure maximum security.

However, with such a large platform, there may be a few suspicious activities. With your cooperation, we can make Kreekafrica.com as safe as possible.

Here are some general guidelines on how you can help

• Do not accept or make a payment outside of Kreekafrica.com as this opens you up to scams and frauds. You may also lose Kreek Africa Payment Protection
• Do not give access to anyone else to use your Kreekafrica.com account as this may lead to identity theft
• Be suspicious of clients who ask you to pay before work is done, request that you cash a check for them or provide personal information or work for free. If you encounter such a person, report them

Getting Started

Online safety starts with you, and even though we have done our part here are more ways to protect yourself before joining the platform.

• Get the necessary information by educating yourself
• Trust your instincts about suspicious activity
• Interact with other users using only Kreekafrica.com. This will allow us to assist better with your online safety
• Go throughout general electronic safety guidelines for more tips

Online Safety Best Practices

Here are a few tips to help you identify any activity that puts your safety at risk. Pay attention to these details in your dealings on Kreekafrica.com

Circumvention: Professionals put themselves at risk of getting paid in a fraudulent manner or not getting paid at all, by accepting payments outside of Kreekafrica.com. It is an easy way to get scammed and is also against our Terms of Service. Doing so might cost you the security of our safety programs as well as your Payment Protection

Phishing: This is where someone pretends to be an authority or a trusted service to steal from you. Double-check who is reaching out to you, paying attention to fake logos, and email addresses, fake login pages, and fraudulent calls and personal messages. Do not share your personal information unless you are sure of the source.

Free Work: It is against our Terms of Service for you to be pressurized into giving out work for free. All projects executed on the kreekafrica.com platform should be paid work, and you can flag any such entity or activity for us to take the necessary action.

Inappropriate Payment Types:

These types of payments are inappropriate on kreekafrica.com

• Making a payment to a client to consider an application or proposal by a Professional
• A Professional making a payment to work for a client
• Making payments upfront for a project’s needs or cost
• Client making payments upfront for a Professional’s needs
• Making direct payments for a project’s needs

Check-Cashing Fraud

If you are asked to process a payment on someone else’s behalf to be sent elsewhere, it may be a scam or fraud. You may be held liable for the funds, even after sending it to the scammer or fraudster. They include the following

• Paypal payments
• Favours to deposit or cash checks
• Favours to deposit or cash money orders
• Requests to sell, buy or transfer any kinds of currencies, whether regular or cryptocurrencies
• Payments to purchase supplies or send something valuable upfront prior to starting work

Shipping scams

If you are asked to be sent an item for repackaging and sending elsewhere, it may be a scam. You may be acting as a middle man for the distribution of stolen items or items purchased with a stolen card.

Clickbait

Whenever you’re sent any external links to click on and apply, make sure to research it for red flags and dangerous malware. The links could be clickbait website that makes money off the click

Personal Information

Other kreekafrica.com users do not need access to your personal information, driver’s license, passport, social security number, payment account information, tax information, etc. and so never give them out.

Miscellaneous

Any jobs that may offer medical benefits, training programs, insurance, etc. and likely to be scams. Scammers use these tactics to appear more credible and can even go to the extent of using a real company’s name. Be sure to cautious with such posts.

Email Scams And Dangerous Links

Always pay attention to messages and emails, especially if you do not know who is sending them. Use these other details to check

• Double-check the email address, alias, sender and domain to see if they are legitimate
• Pay attention to the message being conveyed, especially those asking you to act fast
• Do not respond to any email asking for your personal information such as your date of birth, contact, or financial information. Stop and ask whether you know them, or if they have a legitimate reason to request such information. If you have doubts, contact the company that seems to need the information to confirm if the email is indeed from them.
• Pay extra attention to emails containing unknown links and attachments, and try not to click any suspicious links
• It is easy to identify malicious links if you are careful. For example, pay attention to the URL to determine where it leads and typos which make it look like an authentic site.
• Always treat any attachments you receive as potential dangers or risks. Some may contain hidden malware and so it is advisable to scan them before downloading. You may be exposing a scammer to your vital information if you are not careful

Note that you may receive emails from kreekafrica.com requesting for your information. Always make sure that it is coming from a kreekafrica.com email, and reach out to us if you have any questions

General Safety Tips For Electronics

Protecting your computer and private information wherever you are, including on kreekafrica.com, is your responsibility. Consider these few tips to help keep you safe from potential attacks.

Tips for computer protection

• Update your electronic defenses frequently. These include browsers, antivirus software, applications, plug-ins and operating systems. Also, install security patches immediately they become available.
• Consider installing applications with flash players like Adobe Flash or Google Chrome
• Install a trusted antivirus and schedule them to scan your PC regularly
• Make sure you’re only downloading files, software or attachments from trusted sources
• Whenever you aren’t using your computer, turn it off or log off

Tips for protecting private information

• Avoid clicking on links you don’t know or enter your credentials and vital information on unknown sites
• Only use sites that use encryption if you have to share personal information online
• Make sure your passwords are strong (should contain lowercase, uppercase, numbers and symbols)
• Make sure your passwords are unique so that it is more challenging to guess them. Also, refrain from using the same password for multiple accounts
• Avoid storing or sharing passwords where someone else could access them
• Consider changing your password every 90 days
• Find out information on what to do if your email is hacked
• If you use Wi-Fi connection at home, make sure to secure it with a strong password
• Public computers are not personal computers, and so you should treat them as public property
• Opt for two-factor authentication if it is offered or provided
• Protect your laptop by being aware of your surroundings
• Remember to frequently back up your computer to prevent hopeless situations, in case of a computer crash or hackers freeze access
• Use only the kreekafrica.com platform to communicate with clients and Professionals so that you can benefit from the additional security we offer

How To Detect Malware

The information below includes useful tips for detecting and avoiding malware. The best defense against malware can be to install a trusted virus scanner, as explained in the general safety tips for electronics.

Look out for changes in the performance in your computer, including the following

• Slow processing for no obvious reason
• No response to shut down or restart commands
• Intrusive ads appearing where they weren’t before
• Being sent to websites, you weren’t trying to visit
• Sending out emails without your consent or command
• Changes in your browser homepage without your consent or command
• Sudden, fast and repeated drainage of your device battery
• The appearance of sudden unexpected new toolbars or icons in your browser or on your desktop

Experts recommend that you immediately run a trusted antivirus program and there are many options available to choose from.

If you suspect your device has been infected with malware, halt all online activities that require you enter passwords, usernames, and any other sensitive information that could be used to steal from you to prevent further harm.

How To Get Rid Of Malware?

Most of the time, an antivirus program or software should be able to get rid of any malware for you. Otherwise, get in touch with a tech support expert (not Kreekafrica.com support) as you may need to reset your device and restart from your most recent backup (which is why frequent backups are recommended)

How To Secure A Compromised Account?

If you are confident, your Kreekafrica.com account has experienced a phishing attack, here is what to do

• Report it to KreekAfrica Support immediately!
• Remember to add your name, user ID and an explanation of what you think the problem is
• Immediately change your vital information, including your password. In case you’re not able to log into Kreekafrica.com to make these changes, it is likely we have put your account on hold as a temporary measure to help keep you safe from further harmful attacks.

How To Report Suspicious Activity On Kreekafrica.com?

We need your help to make Kreekafrica.com as safe for all as possible. So, please let us know if you encounter any violation of our Terms of Service.

We take such reports very seriously, and we investigate them as soon as we receive them.

Here’s how you can help

• Any suspicious activity in job postings, freelance portfolios, profiles or on the platform, in general, should be reported first by sending a flag
• It is against the Kreekafrica.com Terms of Service to share or request for contact information before starting a contract.

Reporting Suspicious Activity

Kreekafrica.com users can report any suspicious activity by using the flag feature, and you can look out for it throughout the platform. The same flag can be used to flag profiles, portfolios, and job postings. However, there is a different icon for the message centre

We treat all reports with maximum confidentiality and will not disclose your identity to the user you flagged. We may reach out to you for more information after we receive your report.

For privacy and security reasons, we cannot share the outcomes of our investigations with you. We will, however, take the necessary action according to our Terms of Service and treat the matter with utmost seriousness.

What Is Flag-Worthy

We encourage all users and members of our community to flag anything that seems fraudulent, inappropriate or suspicious and violates the Kreekafrica.com Terms Of Service. The different flags indicate what you are flagging and why. Therefore, select the appropriate one and add any other information about the issue. Here are some common violations to look out for

• Any person requesting or sharing contact information before a contract has begun. It could be a phone number, email address, or app IDs such as Skype or WhatsApp
• Offers or requests to make payments outside the Kreekafrica.com platform or via a non-cash method of payment such as bitcoin
• A name of a profile picture that seems fake like a famous person or celebrity’s name or picture
• Any content that has copyright protection, like a known phrase or logo
• Any activity that looks fraudulent or like it could be a scam
• Anybody harassing or threatening you
• Clients requesting for payment to submit a proposal
• Professionals requesting for upfront payment prior to the commencement of a contract
• Anybody demanding to receive positive feedback

Our customer support is always on standby to assist you with your report in case you’re having trouble locating a flag.

How To Send A Flag?

Here are the steps to flagging inappropriate or suspicious activity for our review

Job Posting

• Click on the Flag button which can be found at the top right corner of every public profile and job on Kreekafrica.com
• Select from the options available why you think the post is inappropriate
  • The client is offering to make a payment outside of Kreekafrica.com
  • Someone is trying to use or buy my Kreekafrica.com account
  • The client is nor accurately representing their identity
  • The job posting looks like a scam or contains a suspicious link
  • The job posting contains contact information
  • Another reason
• Click submit

Professional Portfolios

If you notice any portfolios that violate our policy, like copyright infringements or contains confidential material, here is what to do

• Click the Flag button which can be found above the portfolio item
• Select from the options available why you think the portfolio is suspicious
  • It contains contact information
  • It contains confidential material
  • It contains a copyright violation
  • It is inappropriate content for Kreekafrica.com
  • Another
• Click submit

Professional Profiles

If you notice any profile that contains violations to our identity policy, such as duplicate accounts, fake portraits, names and logos here is what to do

• Click the Flag button which can be found above the Professional’s job application or profile
• Select from the reasons available why you think the profile is suspicious
  • Request for payment outside of Kreekafrica.com
  • Someone is attempting to use or buy my Kreekafrica.com account
  • The person in the profile isn’t the person I’m working with on Kreekafrica.com
  • The profile looks fake or contains plagiarized or stolen content
  • The profile contains contact information
  • Another reason
• Click submit

Message Center

• Locate the gear message on the left of the timestamp, click on it and select Report Message
• Select from the reasons available why you think the message is suspicious
  • Someone is requesting to use and buy my Kreekafrica.com account
  • Someone isn’t accurately representing their identity
  • Someone is misrepresenting their skill
  • The message looks like a scam or contains a suspicious link
  • The message is abusive or threatening
  • Another reason
• Click submit

On other occasions, you may need to use your judgment to report any suspicious behavior and activity that violates Kreekafrica.com’s Terms of Service. Our customer support is on standby to assist you.

When you reach out to customer support, kindly prepare to provide a detailed account of the issue and any proof you may have, such as email messages and chat transcripts.

Reporting Site Vulnerabilities

Kreekafrica.com takes its users’ security very seriously and values the work that security researchers have put into improving the delivery of all our services and products. We are therefore dedicated to working hand and hand with this community to reproduce, verify, and respond to legitimate reports of vulnerabilities. We encourage members of our community to also play a part in this responsible reporting process.

If you are confident you have found a potential risk to the security of any of the kreekafrica.com domains, kindly helps us to fix it as quickly as possible by reporting your discovery to us, in accordance with our Guidelines for Responsible Disclosure (explained below). We urge anyone who is reporting vulnerabilities to do so privately to resolve the issue, as public disclosure can put the entire community at risk.

At Kreek Africa, security is a priority, and so we investigate vulnerabilities sung a third party to further validate them and ensure the necessary monetary reward whoever found them if they follow our Guidelines for Responsible Disclosure.

Guidelines For Responsible Disclosure

Kreek Africa recognizes the efforts and important role that our community and in particular security researchers play in keeping the platform and its users safe. If you come across a vulnerability on Kreekafrica.com, kindly let us know by sending us an email at using the following steps.

• Kindly share the security issue with us first, before going public with the information on mailing lists, message boards, social media or other forums
• Kindly do not disclose the vulnerability to others until we have notified you that it has been resolved. The security of our users and customers is very important to us. Also, note that some issues may take longer to resolve than others.
• Kindly provide a well detailed, concise description of steps involved in reproducing a vulnerability when reporting or submitting one
• Kindly provide complete details of the security vulnerability, including details of the system where the tests were carried out and the Proof-of-Concept URL
• You must first report or submit the vulnerability and give us a reasonable amount of time to make amends before disclosing the issue publicly. It is under these conditions that you would receive credit for your findings. Note that we use third-party services to validate the vulnerability before handing out monetary rewards to the researcher.
• All submissions will be assessed and validated by our Information Security team member. It will speed up the process of resolution if we receive clear, concise details about reproducing the issue
• Kindly refrain from engaging in security research activities that involve
  • The potential or real damage to Kreek Africa applications, systems, or users
  • Using an exploit to view data without permission involving data corruption
  • Using any external marketplace, whether the black-market or otherwise to request for compensation for reporting security issues and vulnerabilities