Security Information |
|
Internet Scams: Dont be a Victim
As the number of people using the Internet as an integral part of their daily life grows, it is inevitable that the number of Internet Scams will grow. Unfortunately there are many forms of scams but in this article we will look at three of the most prominent. 419 fraud or "Nigerian Scams" Also known as advanced fee fraud (AFF), 4-1-9 scams are named after the section of the Nigerian penal code that deals with fraud. Although originally originating in Nigeria these scams can originate from anywhere. If you fall for one of these at best you will lose thousands of dollars; at worst you will lose your life. These usually start with an email from a bank official or the relative of a recently deceased African president or a government minister informing you that they have access to millions of dollars but need your help to get the money out of the country. The end result is that when the deal is threatened you will be asked for money to secure the release of the funds. Do not under any circumstances reply to these letters, people have been murdered while following up with these scams. Phishing Phishing scams can be very elaborate, scammers send out emails to millions of internet addresses purporting to be from a financial institution, and requiring you to log in and confirm your details. The email looks authentic and contains a link that you need to click. If you happen to have an account at the bank featured in the scam then it's a very natural thing to click the link and login to "your" account except it's not your account or even your bank. It will be a website setup by the scammers to extract as much information from you as possible, Name, Address Credit card details, Bank login, Password, PIN number etc. Once they have these details it is very likely that will have access to your funds and in the worse case your identity. Avoid these scams by never clicking on a link in an email like these, Banks do not sent out emails requesting you login and confirm your details. Vehicle Sales Fraud If you place an advert online to sell a car, boat, or motorcycle you will probably receive one of these scam attempts. You will receive an email from abroad saying that they would like to buy your vehicle and arrange shipping. Once you agree you will get a check or bankers draft in the mail within a few days for the amount you asked for the vehicle PLUS the shipping fee you will then be asked to contact the shipper and pay him the extra amount. If you are sensible you will wait for the check to clear then pass on the shipping fee. This is what the scammers expect, the check will only bounce about 3 weeks to a month later at which point your bank will take back the money leaving you short of the shipping money. The best way of avoiding this fraud is not to sell your vehicle to someone who wants to pay the shipper. I hope all this hasn't scared you away from the Internet, If you are sensible and wary about offers that seem too good to be true then you should be Ok, just apply the same commonsense you use in everyday life, after all if a stranger walked up to you in the street and said "Hi I am from your bank what's your credit card number and PIN" would you give it to them? Mark Thompson ran an IT consultancy in London for many years . He now live in Spain and runs an number of websites including The Income Site
MORE RESOURCES: Homeland Security Department to Release New A.I. Guidance The New York Times Officials detail increased D.C. security for certification, inauguration The Washington Post Nuclear power for military bases will increase our national security Breaking Defense U.S. ambassador bashes Mexico’s security efforts. Mexico’s president pushes back - Los Angeles Times The UN cybercrime convention threatens security research. The US should do something about it CyberScoop New 'spectral fingerprint' atlas of satellites aims to improve space security University of Arizona News Opinion | Trump’s national security wrecking crew The Washington Post ‘Never trust, always verify’: The zero trust approach to network security United States Army Brief altercation between fans mars France-Israel soccer match despite heavy security The Associated Press St. Francis Seraph hires security guards for Christmas, Nativity display visitors as crowds still plague area WCPO 9 Cincinnati Trump’s National Security Team Keeps Getting More Extreme The New Republic Video: How The Fortinet Security Fabric Is Combatting Cybersecurity Threats And Talent Shortage Channel Insider The Fastest Airport Security Line You Don’t Know About The Wall Street Journal The campus will be closed to anyone who is not a student, faculty or staff member. WVTM13 Birmingham Tuskegee president releases security updates following shooting WIAT - CBS42.com Do Titans QB, Coach Have Job Security? Sports Illustrated Inside The 2024 Security Benchmark Report Security Magazine Homeland Security Department releases framework for using AI in critical infrastructure The Associated Press Your favorite security leadership podcasts Security Magazine France draws with Israel in high-security operation to reach Nations League quarterfinals with Italy The Associated Press 3rd Annual U.S.-Mexico Defense and Security Roundtable smallwarsjournal Endpoint Security from BlackBerry BlackBerry Tuskegee University Shifts Security, Facilities Leadership Tuskegee University France-Israel Soccer Match is Overshadowed by Amsterdam Attack The New York Times Akamai: 84% of security professionals experienced an API security incident in the past year SecurityInfoWatch ‘We’re just a target’: Pickleball players call for more security Camas Washougal Post Record ESA opens registration for 2024 Town Hall Broadcast SecurityInfoWatch Trump names Florida’s Rep. Mike Waltz as national security adviser Nebraska Examiner New infosec products of the week: November 15, 2024 Help Net Security Mexican Officials Arrest Top Security Official in Mayor’s Beheading The New York Times Linn County’s Food for Health pilot program aims to improve food security, support local economy KEZI TV Tom Homan, Trump’s ‘Border Czar,’ on Border Security The New York Times South Florida campus security officer arrested after attempting to meet minor for sex WPBF West Palm Beach Silverfort Buys Rezonate to Fortify Identity Security Muscle BankInfoSecurity.com Trump Picks Kristi Noem for Homeland Security Secretary The New York Times Rand Paul Will Continue His COVID-19 Investigations From Atop the Senate Homeland Security Committee Reason NIST report on hardware security risks reveals 98 failure scenarios Help Net Security Microsoft Patch Tuesday, November 2024 Edition Krebs on Security Lamar CISD invests in safety, security amid rapid growth Community Impact Mexico’s ‘hugs, not bullets’ security strategy has failed, says US Ambassador Ken Salazar Mexico News Daily Who Is Michael Waltz, Trump’s Pick to Be National Security Adviser? The New York Times |
RELATED ARTICLES
Avoiding Scams: If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is A week or so ago, I received an inquiry from a man in Indonesia about buying multiple copies of certain items on my website. I immediately suspected fraud, so I explained that I only had one piece of each. Free Spyware Removal - Its Not As Easy As It Sounds Nobody wants to pay to remove spyware. At the very least, I don't. Delete Cookies: New-Age Diet or Common Sense Internet Security? No, this article isn't about some new, lose-20-pounds-in-a-week, certified-by-some-tan-Southern-California-doctor diet. It's about cookies on your computer - what they are, why they are there, and what to do about them. Whats All This I Hear About Firewalls? At this point, if you've got the whole "turning the computer on" thing down; you are ready to learn about firewalls. Whether you use your computer for business or pleasure, it is important to have a firewall. Computer Viruses - How to Remove a Computer Virus from Your Computer Computer viruses infect millions of computers every day. Viruses can destroy data, steal important information, and even make a computer completely unusable. Reporting Internet Scams When it comes to reporting Internet scams most of us either don't have a clue who to contact or just ignore them in our email. But according to an FBI report in December 2004, nearly ten million people last year didn't ignore them and fell for the latest Internet scams. Web Browsing - Collected Information You may not realize it, but as you are surfing the web all sorts of details are being left behind about your computer and where you have been. Most of this information is used harmlessly in website statistics, but it could also be used to profile you, or identify you as a vulnerable target for an exploit. 3 Steps to Ending Scams and Virus Problems Watching how the traditional media covers the latest virus or scam would make one think we are all innocent victims and it is the "evil Internet" at work once again. News flash! Innocent? More like uninformed. Clown Internet Scam - An Internet Scam is Currently Targeting Clowns and Other Entertainers I am the victim of an internet scam. It is very hard to write that sentence, but it's necessary in order to warn my fellow clowns, magicians and other entertainers, and to prevent them from being taken for $2,800. Be Aware of Phishing Scams! If you use emails actively in your communication, you must have received various messages claiming to be from Ebay, Paypal and a number of banks. A recent email as if from U. The Bad Guys Are Phishing For Your Personal Information Do you know what "phishing" is?No, it doesn't mean you grab a pole and head to the late to catchsome phish.The official Webopedia definition of "phishing" is as follows:The act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be anestablished legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the userinto surrendering private information that will be used foridentity theft. Protecting Your Identity On The Internet Afraid that someone is monitoring your PC or installed a keylogger to record every single keystroke? Find out which tools you need to get to make sure you are protected.X-Cleaner Deluxehttp://www. Blogs as Safe Haven for Cybercriminals? To blog or not to blog? Well, why not? Lots of people like either to write or to read blogs -- sometimes both. The much-quoted survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, says 27 percent read blogs. Viruses and Worms, Protection from Disaster Virus damage estimated at $55 billion in 2003. "SINGAPORE - Trend Micro Inc, the world's third-largest anti-virus software maker, said Friday that computer virus attacks cost global businesses an estimated $55 billion in damages in 2003, a sum that would rise this year. Wells Fargo Report Phishing Scam First off I should explain what phishing is. Phishing is basically the act of tricking a victim into divulging information. New CipherSend Online Security Service Thwarts Email Address Theft And Soothes Password Fatigue In 1997, I decided after 15 years as a practicing CPA that it was time to put down my pencil and explore a new venture on the exciting new internet which, while perhaps not exactly in its infancy at that point, was still at least a pimply faced teenaged medium still unexplored by most accountants.I founded CPAsites. Phishing - Learn To Identify It Phishing: (fish'ing) (n.)This is when someone sends you an email falsely claiming to be a legitimate business - like your bank or credit card company - in an attempt to scam you into giving them your personal, private information that they can use to access your accounts. Avoid Internet Theft, Fraud and Phishing Since its birth, the Internet has grown and expanded to unprecedented, unmanageable proportions. Information, software, news, and much more flow freely through its twisted pathways. Secure Your PC From Hackers, Viruses, and Trojans Viruses, Trojans and Spyware: Protecting yourself.No user on the internet is safe from assault. Internet Privacy Over the past few years as the internet has become more and more popular, privacy has become a major issue.Just as if you are walking down the street and can be watched, every click of your mouse every website you browse, or file you download, is traceable. |
home | site map |
© 2006 |