Welcome to a new series of Information Technology articles geared at boosting your Web confidence. The goal is to make your web experience more enjoyable; therefore, lots of articles will focus around Internet & the Web. Accepted, there are lots of buzzwords surrounding the use of the Web; however, this column will attempt to cut through some of the hype and get you up to speed. Internet is no longer a nice-to-have, it is a necessity, thus, unavoidable. Topics to be covered under "e-Safety" category: Scamming, phishing, antivirus, wireless connections, email accounts, slow computers, online free services. This episode discusses Scamming.
Wikipedia,defines scamming as "an attempt to defraud a person or group." How? Well scammers have taken to the Internet, actively scouting the Internet for clients to defraud? They have hijacked lots of email accounts. Impersonating to be the real owner, they study the email pattern within inbox and carefully draft mails to account holder's relatives and friends making financial plea that are very convincing. Help stop scammers ! Many individuals have fallen prey to scammers through mails leading to undue sufferings.
Below are two recent emails posted from different email accounts hijacked by scammers:
1)
Hope you get this on time ? Sorry I didn't inform you about my trip to the UK for a program. I am having some difficulties here because i misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel which contained some cash, credit cards and few other valuables. Presently, my passport and personal belongings are been held down by the hotel management pending when i make payment.
I will like you to assist me with a loan of £1,510 Pounds to sort-out my hotel bills and to get myself back home. I will appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with, I'll Refund the money back to you as soon as i return, let me know if you can be of any help? ASAP.
I currently don't have a phone where i can be reached.
please let me know immediately.
Best regards
2)
How's work on your end?
This had to come in a hurry and it has left me in a devastating state.I am in some terrible situation and I'm really going to need your urgent help. Yesterday, unannounced, I came down for something urgent. Well i actually got robbed in the Hotel I booked in and they made away with my wallet (which included my cash, diaries and complementary cards). My cell phones were not brought along since I did not get to roam them before coming over. The phone cables have been burnt including internet connection cables and the Hotel's database has been compromised as well. So all I can do now is pay cash and get out of here quickly. I do not want to make a scene of this which is why I did not call the office or my house, this is embarrassing enough.
Please I want you to lend me a sum of $1,200 just to clear my Hotel bills and get the next plane home. The Consulate only cleared me of my traveling documents and ticketing since I came in as a tourist and not on official purpose.
Please be rest assured that I'd have your money reimbursed to you immediately I get home. Please you can have it sent via Western union money transfer to my name and on this address right here.
Could you identify the pattern used in both mails? Although these mails are supposedly written by separate group of Scammers, the plot is very similar. Watch out for such mails, in doubt, try to use alternative methods to contact the relative claiming to be in difficulties.
How can this happen? Yes, it can. Remember going to a cybercafé and forgetting to close the browser, remember saving (caching) your password in a public computer, remember using passwords that are the same as the email prefix, or very simple numeric or dictionary words password. If you are in any of these groups then you need to take actions immediately. Anti-Scamming actions to remain e-Safe: 1) Change passwords frequently rather than changing email accounts/addresses. Because scammers could use an old email account to contact your relatives and friends. It is best to keep only a single email account when possible, to minimize the risk of an attack. Google Mail is one of the best email service provider(more on Google in another episode). 2) Good password tips; use alphanumeric passwords. Take a single name (first, middle, or last name) and combine with a date of birth. eg. eyong0670, awa1779. Use information from immediate family members, so it will be easy to remember. Change passwords at least after two months, recycling with information from relatives. 3) Avoid saving/caching password on public computers and above all things do close your browser before leaving the computer.
Conclusively, stay alert; identify mails from scammers and take immediate actions to neutralize them.
Welcome to a new series of Information Technology articles geared at boosting your Web confidence. The goal is to make your web experience more enjoyable; therefore, lots of articles will focus around Internet & the Web. Accepted, there are lots of buzzwords surrounding the use of the Web; however, this column will attempt to cut through some of the hype and get you up to speed. Internet is no longer a nice-to-have, it is a necessity, thus, unavoidable. Topics to be covered under "e-Safety" category: Scamming, phishing, antivirus, wireless connections, email accounts, slow computers, online free services. This episode discusses Scamming.