Scammers scammers everywhere. Their are people out their trying to trick you into providing them with your information. I thought I'd give a few tips on keeping safe online and beyond.
Spam
Like the junk mail you get through the post, but ever so much more dangerous than fast food menu’s and fake clothes collections. Spam emails will offer anything from share tips to cheap Viagra. None of which is real and is just designed to have you part with your good money.
A good rule of thumb is if you have not asked for the email by signing up to newsletters on sites, than don’t even open them just delete them.
Phishing Emails. Banks/Shops/Deals etc.
Dangerous little beasts, appearing as emails from your bank or a shop you are signed up to (e.g Amazon or Play.) They will vary from the easily spotted ones from a bank that isn’t even yours to the very sophisticated well made emails that appear the same as legitimate emails from the business.
The emails will have a link to the banks/Shops site and will gather any information you happen to enter. Giving them access to your accounts, passwords and other information. Easily spotted phishing emails are emails from Halifax@jeffsStore.com the banks name will always appear after the @ of an email. Slightly harder are ones like accounts@Halifax-bankingservice.ac.uk at first glance its fine, but Halifax-bankingServices.ac.uk is not Halifax’s email domain. Also don’t assume a phishing email will use the old “you must log in and update your details”, more devious emails will just be looking to get you onto a fake site to steal your login details.
Top tip is assume all emails are phising ones, if your get an email from your bank wanting details (and there are legit ones,) or an offers email from an internet shop, don’t click any links or images inside the email. Open a new browser window and go direct to google.co.uk search for the bank or shop you received a mail from. This will make sure it is the real website you are entering, there you will be able access any offers you received by mail or be asked to enter any required information.
Phishing Phonecalls
This is one that catches a lot of people out. This is a very simple scam, a scammer will phone you saying they are from company x and ask for your security information. They than use it. This isn’t helped by the fact that legitimate companies do phone you, and they do ask for this sorts of information.
Top tip. Never give any details to someone who has phoned you. If its something important or a must not miss deal ask for a number you can ring them back on and check that number online before phoning it. Most scammers will hang up when they cotton on your not an easy target, though some will brazen it out seeing you as a challenge.
Cold Calls
These are not scams but are almost as bad. A person phones you offering you a deal on something. They say they are phoning from or on behalf of a well known company.
Top Tip. Again don’t give out information to someone who phones you. If you already use their services they should have your info. It will be at this point that you normally find out it isn’t Orange that’s ringing. It is in fact someone who has been authorised (sold the right) to phone you on their behalf. Hang Up.
Some parting tips on Internet Browsing
Turn the url bar on, in your browser. You should be able to see at the top of this page. http://the-kats-blog.blogspot.com/… This give you a lot of information about the sight your on.
URLs should match up. Urls can be complicated but the first part is called the domain. It’s the bit that follows http(s)://. Examples are Spree4.com, Google.co.uk and uk.yahoo.com. This is where to look if you think you on Spree4.com and the url domain is hackersDen.au.com than hightail it out of there.
Don’t trust direct links. If you are given a link that has ip address ( e.g. http://10.1.1.1/) don’t click it. Domain names are cheap and easy to register. The absence of one means the site is very very dodgy.
Hover over links, when you surfing if you see a link you can hover over it and your browser will let you know which url it is pointing to. If it isn’t what you expect than don’t click.
Google is your friend. If your on a strange site and don’t trust links posted on it. Simply google the site suggested.
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