Whether its the apparent ease of internet shopping or the seasonal goodwill, Christmas is a gift for online fraudsters.
So, knowing what to look for — and there are 10 basic scams — could save you both money and heartache this festive season.
❐ Phishing is one of the originals. Fraudsters send you a message, usually after you have made an online purchase, trying to get you to confirm something by clicking on a genuine-looking link. Instead you’re connected to a fake site or just opened the door to a malware download.
❐ Fake Virus Checker. Beware of messages warning that your machine is infected and inviting you to download a cleaner. What you will actually get is an infected computer with viruses that are almost impossible to get rid of. Always install a good virus checker before you go online.
❐ The Fake Upgrade is becoming increasingly sophisticated. You’re surfing YouTube or some other video site and a message displays telling you that you don’t have the latest Flash Player. Never — “Click here to download and install.”
❐ Bogus Appeals tug at the heart strings, but can cost you far more than a simple donation. Unless you know an email appeal is genuine, bin it. However authentic the appeal site looks your money will never go toward helping disaster victims.
❐ Pirated or Cracked Software can be tempting, especially when money is tight, but never download cheap or suspicious copies of well-known software. The programme may work fine, but somewhere in there will be a busy little bug sending all your personal details to the nice man who sold it to you.
❐ Beware the Drive By Download. When zipping through sites, take care with links that take you to unexpected places. And you don’t have to agree to download software from a malicious site for it to happen. There are ways in which malware can be wheedled on to your machine just by visiting a site.
❐ Nothing is Free — Not Even WiFi. Be suspicious of wi-fi hot spots if you do not know who is providing them. Unless they’re in a reputable coffee shop or other outlet, all Wi-Fi connections should be considered insecure.
❐ Watch Out For The Wi-Fi Probe. Something few people realise is that when we connect our phone or tablet to a Wi-Fi hot spot, it keeps a record of the connection. And when it’s not connected your device continues to send out connection requests, which can be read by scammers to reveal all the Wi-Fis you’ve joined — allowing someone to track your movements and, ultimately, discover where you live and your home network password.
❐ Look Out For Strange vehicles parked outside your home. The chances are they will be piggy-backing your home network for a free connection. Worse still, your router might think it has a secure connection and start sending other data that can be picked up and used by the scammer.
❐ Always Look For A Padlock in your browser to check you have a secure connection. Whether intentional or not, some websites still ask you for your credit card details — and much other valuable personal data — without offering a secure connection. If there is no padlock symbol, you’re either dealing with a company that doesn’t deserve your custom, or a fake.
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