6 Internet Scams / Email Scams

False emails from Banks or Credit Card companies etc.

Emails purporting to be from Banks, Building Societies or Credit Card companies often look like they are really from those organisations. They often warn about security problems etc.  and encourage you to visit a web site, provide account details, passwords, PIN's etc (See Examples - click here)

Spyware, Adverts “Pop-Ups” and unwanted Diallers

Some less savory web sites are designed to add small programs to your PC which can pass information back to the source, or which can cause extra “Pop-Up” windows to appear in order to invade you with adverts.

Whilst it is a matter of personal choice which web sites you visit, the problem is that you sometimes find yourself at one of these web sites by accident. Pornographic web sites are particularly rife on the internet, sadly, and these are notorious for containing these technological spying or scamming devices.

For example – your children could be trying to reach a web site for “Boyzone”, the pop boy band.  If they (understandably) enter http://www.boyzone.com/ in the browser address bar, they will end-up at an American-run homosexual pornography web site! – A simple mistake to make! BEWARE IF YOU TRY THIS AT HOME!!!

One common occurrence is the installation of a new “Dialler” program. These divert your modem away from your usual internet service and dial premium-rate phone numbers instead. They are usually installed  after displaying a software installation box (though not always) in which you are often unable to say “NO Thanks”.

EVEN IF YOU CLICK “NO” , these pop-up boxes can still go-ahead and install software – the makers have simply programmed the installation to ANY click of the mouse – not just “YES” !!  [See example]

Also, see here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/advice/internet.shtml

The famous Nigerian email scam....... [.example..Click Here]

I get one or two a week at least. I don't think I need to describe the obvious flaw in these - do I?

Someone pretending to be an "official" of a bank or government department asks for "help" in getting money out of the country away from an "evil dictator" or "corrupt officials". Basically, it is asking you to send your bank account details! They lure you in, and then before they can send money they ask for the "shipping costs", or "Advance fees" - before long you have sent THEM money!

They continue to ask for payments "to pay for admin" etc. -  until you give up!

Read more about this famous Nigerian email scam (In a New Browser Window)....... [Click Here]

Bogus Viruses - eg the "teddy bear virus"

You receive an email - possibly from someone you know - telling you that you may have a virus on your PC and to check for the existence of a particular file, often in a WINDOWS SYSTEM folder. The email advises you to check to see, and then DELETE the file AND empty the recycle bin. E.g. the "Teddy Bear" virus. What you do is delete a perfectly normal system file, which could then cause you big problems. The file referred-to in the Teddy Bear scam is a standard utility program (the Microsoft Debugger Registrar for Java) included with some versions of Windows and is normally installed in the 'system32' subdirectory of the WINNT directory. It has an icon in the form of a teddy bear that may lead users to be suspicious of it.

Before accepting anyone's word for it, look the name of the virus up on the internet or take more advice. If this is a scam, there is usually some advice about this. If in doubt, run a virus scan (see foot of page) and ask a qualified person before deleting any files just on the say-so of an email!

General Advice

DON'T OPEN EMAILS FROM ANYONE YOU DONT KNOW or THAT ARE NOT FROM RECOGNISED .co.uk or .com  addresses. If in doubt, visit the www.<name>.co.uk or .com web site first to see if it is a company you recognise. If the sender is  from a name with spurious charecters - e.g. - "jgefopws@yahoo or hsklshdtydf@msn.com etc etc DONT OPEN IT. BIN IT IMMEDIATELY! (They can contain viruses)

NEVER REPLY WHEN ASKED TO OPT-OUT OR BE REMOVED FROM THEIR MAILING LIST - this merely confirms that yours is a valid email address and will be sold-on to OTHER SPAM emailers. Take a look at the advice given <here >and on other anti-spam web sites. Use the mail filtering tools in Outlook Express or Hotmail for example.

CHAIN EMAILS– variations of chain letters. "Pass this to TEN friends for "good luck" – This is like the computer version of AIDS! Viruses are often spread this way!

OUT OF OFFICE messages at work. Emails CAN be intercepted– It is rumoured that scammers are hacking into emails and finding out that the sender has set-up an "out-of-office" message detailing the dates of holidays etc. THIS information can be used by thieves who then know when to burgle your house! Keep these messages general - "I will be out of the office until ..." - NO mention of holidays etc!

If you use Newsgroups, DO NOT set up the news account with your valid email address - place the word <remove> in the domain name somewhere (on the right-hand side of the "@" sign - NOT the left).

Newsgroups are routinely "trawled" and email addresses "gathered" for junk email - "SPAM" More to come soon

SPYWARE. Be careful what programs you install on the PC. Certain "Peer-to-Peer" programs for sharing files, music etc. (beware of infringing copyright) also install "Spyware" - these are invisible pieces of code that COULD transmit email addresses, passwords, credit card details etc back to the instigators. One example is "KAZAAR" - check the small pring on the download site or the licence agreements very carefully - most people scroll to the bottom and click "I accept" without reading it.

Pop-Up Browser windows. Some web sites invoke "pop-ups" - small web pages that contain adverts etc. Sometimes, a grey box invites you to download some utility or facilty. THESE could be phone-diallers that replace your dial-up software or telephone number with theirs.

IF YOU GET ONE OF THESE, DO NOT CLICK ON "YES", "NO", "or X" to Exit the grey box with the invitation to download - instead do this:-

Immediately disconnect from the internet by pulling the phone lead or switching off the modem.

Then, do Ctrl/Alt/Delete to get into Windows Task Manager or "Close Program" facility.

Highlight the Internet Explorer or Browser program and "End Task". (there may be more than one running)

Just because it says "NO" or the box in the corner has a "X" in it, does NOT mean that the program will NOT install itself. Remember it could be a malicious program written by someone who is out to trick you. The "No" could be programmed to mean "Yes" or "Proceed"

INSTALL A VIRUS CHECKER AND KEEP THE VIRUS LIST UPDATED. They don't always work but are the best defence against virus attack - BUT ONLY IF KEPT UP TO DATE!

NOTE! - The free one that came with your PC is already OUT OF DATE!