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While sitting comfortably at home browsing the internet or doing work on our computer, we may be targeted by scammers who skilfully try to con us out of our money.
Scammers may also target our identity. In fact, there are quite a few scammers whose main objective is to steal as much information as possible from our computer.
Scammers may try to infect our computer through viruses that leave unwanted software on our screens. A virus scans for private information, such as log-in names and passwords, uses our e-mail to send out spam e-mail that infects other computers, and switches off our computer’s security defences, leaving it vulnerable to more viruses.
We may also be contacted by anonymous callers who pretend to be employees of well-known computer companies, offering to fix our computer from viruses that may have infected it.
They will try to persuade us to give them access to our computer by revealing our passwords and other security information.
When receiving such calls, we should politely hang up. We should remember that if there is really a problem with our computer, we would have noticed it and we would be the ones calling a computer technician, not the other way round.
Furthermore, if we think there may be a problem with our computer, we should talk to a local computer repair company, not an anonymous foreign caller we have never met.
Another method used by spammers to steal information from us, and eventually money, is phishing. Phishing usually takes place through spam e-mails sent to millions of addresses.
These e-mails may really look like they come from banks or other financial institutions, and may ask us to provide details of our account, such as account numbers or passwords.
Scammers may try to infect our computer through viruses that leave unwanted software on our screens
We should always keep in mind that such institutions will never ask for such information by e-mail. Furthermore, we can recognise such scams by looking carefully at the e-mail address, as it will definitely be different from the genuine organisation’s one.
Such e-mails, which come in unexpectedly, may also urge us to act immediately or our account may be closed. If we are still in doubt as to whether the e-mail received is genuine or not, we should call the organisation and confirm with them whether they have really sent us such an e-mail.
We may also fall victim to scams that elicit us to claim a prize. Sometimes, while browsing the internet, pop-up windows appear on our screens that ask us to click and claim a free prize.
If we click, we will probably be asked to call a specific telephone number to claim the prize. What we usually are not aware of is that these calls are very expensive, and if we fall victims to such scams, we will end up spending money on a telephone call and not getting the promised prize. We should never try to claim such prizes.
To avoid falling victim to scams, we should always be on our guard and never give personal and confidential information via e-mail or to unknown callers.
We should also keep in mind that if something sounds too good to be true, the it usually is.
odette.vella@mccaa.org.mt
Ms Odette Vella is senior information officer, Office for Consumer Affairs, Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.