ScamEmails

Graham Roberts Home Computer Services

Reputable & reliable computer repairs and servicing for Barlborough, Clowne, Bolsover & surrounding villages.

Scam Emails

Email sent13th November 2008

Could I please bring to your attention the massive increase in email scams being sent out purporting to come from banks or suppliers asking you to update your online details and more then a dozen of my customers or their families have now been caught out by them to date?

The criminals send emails to thousands or even millions of random email addresses, one of which could be yours, and try to con the recipient into parting with their precious personal information such as usernames, passwords, pin numbers, credit card and personal details, by masquerading as a trustworthy business, and then the fraudsters use these details to acquire your money or your identity. This activity is called “Phishing”.

They hope to come across somebody who uses the particular bank or service in their bogus email, and at first glance, these emails look like the genuine article and provide a link to a phoney website that may also look just like the real thing They then ask you to update your details and may give you a veiled threat like your account being frozen or supply cut off if you do not respond.

I personally had never received any of these emails until a few months ago, but I now get 2 or 3 a week mainly from “banks”, but also from other supposed businesses like gas and electricity suppliers, EBay and Pay-Pal, and many of my customers now report similar findings, and so the problem is growing rapidly.

This is my advice if you receive a scam email.

	· Never carry out an e-mail’s request asking for you to update your details online. No bank or reputable business would ever ask you to do this. Any email asking you to “verify your account” or “confirm your sign in details”, is almost certainly a scam. If in doubt about any unexpected email that you may receive from a bank or business you use, telephone the company using the contact telephone number on your normal bill and query the email.
	· Genuine emails from banks do contain links, but never to the online banking sign-in or personal details update page. If you are in any doubt about whether an email is genuine, don't click the link.
	· Do not reply to the email. By replying, the criminals will get hold of your email address and target you all the more.
	· Do not follow the link to the bogus website out of curiosity. The website may be infected with a virus and also, the criminals will get hold of your “Cookie” which is a means of identification from which they can get your email address.
	· Delete the bogus email from your inbox.
	· If you are targeted regularly by the same bogus email, and it’s for your own bank or supplier, inform them and they may ask you to forward it to them for action.
	· If you are concerned that you may have disclosed any personal or security details, please contact you bank or supplier as soon as possible so that they can take action as in my experience, the fraudsters act very quickly.

Other things that you can do to protect yourself.

	· Change your online passwords every few months.
	· Make sure that your Antivirus, Anti-Spyware and Spam filter is working and up to date.
	· Never open unknown email attachments.
	· Check that either your antivirus program’s Phishing filter is turned on (if it has one), or if not, that Microsoft Internet Explorer’s own built in Phishing filter is activated (Internet Explorer 7 and later).

To Following the above should at least reduce your chance of you being caught out by the criminal fraternity.

Disclaimer

This advice is given on an “as is” basis and taken at the recipient’s own risk. Graham Roberts will not be liable for any current or future financial, data or personal losses incurred after following this advice either partially or wholly.