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Tag: scam

Another day, another scam

Posted on by Leah Porter

Real life scenario

Recently Super I.T. Solutions was called out to a business to address a potential computer scam.

Our customer was presented with a website that was flashing a screen advising that her computer had been infected. Concerned that this was the case, our customer called the number on the screen to try to rectify this.
The computer was then remotely accessed by the recipient of the call and during this call, our customer was asked for her credit card details. The justification for this was that they would then repair the computer for her, over the phone.

Fortunately for our customer, as soon as she had this request, she terminated the call and contacted us. Her credit card details were not provided.

Our SuperTech Chris checked her system and advised what had happened. He discussed what was exposed to the caller, and after a thorough check, was deemed safe.

Computer hackers are playing these scenarios out daily, across thousands of websites and networks.
If you are ever confronted with a screen popping up and flashing that your phone or computer system has been infected, do not call a contact number, and do not click a link presented. Close the tab you are on and move on.

This could have been a bad case scenario for our customer, however, our customer felt something was up and did not proceed, and this is what saved her from having a very bad day.

Windows 10 pop-up scam

The Windows 10 pop-up scam has been recently circulating (and has now moved onto Windows 11). A pop-up claims that the user’s computer has been infected and action needs to be made immediately to resolve it.
These scams are aggressive and can cause a user to panic and click the button that has been presented or contact a number displayed. These tactics are exactly how cybercriminals are getting away with tens of millions of dollars each year.

In addition to money, cybercriminals can use your personal details to bilk you out of other monetary areas such as online shopping accounts, or identity theft.

Although these scams use the logos and branding of genuine companies such as Microsoft, they are not in any way, related to Microsoft or any other corporation displayed on the message.
Windows aren’t the only ones being targeted. Popular anti-virus platform, McAfee is also a target.

McAfee scam

How do these scams work?

You may be wondering how you have managed to access a site that has caused this notification because you would never visit an odd site, nor do you use torrent websites to illegally download audio and video files.

However, it is important to note that by using a variety of advertising networks, cybercriminals can generate traffic to their fake sites and even mask legitimate sites that you then clock on via a simple google search.
It might sound confronting, but by checking a few simple things, you can avoid being on a fake website at all.

How do I remove fake pop-ups?

Generally, these pop-ups have in no way infected your device. The pop-up is designed for you to take further steps, this opens the door for the cybercriminal to access your computer or mobile device. Closing the site down is sufficient in avoiding this moving further, however, sometimes the pop-up can render you unable to close the site, in which you would need to close your whole browser window and then reboot your device.

Less likely, you may need to reset your internet browser once you have restarted your device. If you do not know how just give your IT professional a call.

How do I prevent pop-up scams?

Streaming services such as YouTube, Torrent, or other platforms can redirect you to illegitimate sites. Therefore, as covered in a previous article, preventing cybercriminals’ access to your details is simple.

Only visit sites that are reputable or known to you. Never use a link click option that has been provided for you, type the URL in yourself. Check for grammatical and spelling errors. Check the URL, often they are misspelled or  unrelated to the site content. Also, keep your internet browsers up to date and make sure your legitimate anti-virus protection is up to date.

What should you do if you fall for a pop-up scam?

Depending on which scam you fell for, your call to action may differ.

  • If you sent money to cybercriminals: Contact your financial institution immediately and explain the situation. The bank will then take steps to secure your accounts and investigate. In most cases, you can get your money back.
  • If you provided your personal information: Change your passwords immediately and enable multi-factor authentication on all online platforms you use.
  • If you let cybercriminals access to your device: Use a reputable anti-virus such as SentinelOne to prevent this type of access, and contact your IT professional to go over your devices and network to diagnose any ongoing issues and clean them out.
  • Report it: report internet scams to ScamWatch

 

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8 ways to secure your online banking details

Posted on by Leah Porter

Cybercrime costs Aussies over $30b each year. Social engineering is causing us to become so relaxed with what we share, that cybercriminals are taking advantage. Keep reading to see 8 ways you can secure your online banking details from cyber criminals.

From a social engineering perspective, keeping personal details private is your first port of call. Social engineering from a security point of view, means data you provide to the outside world, can be used to engage your financial institutions and other online transactional sites.

eg. a cybercriminal may take note of your name and phone number, then contact your financial institution and say they have lost access to their bank, then use information they have learnt from your social media sites, such as children’s names or names of your pets to bypass security questions. They can then access, redirect and use your funds as they wish.

Cybercriminals can also access your details by tricking you into installing malware onto your device. This compromises the security of your ‘secure logins’ with your financial institution. It can also trick your Anti-virus into not recognising the attack until its too late.

These are only two examples, but cybercrime is constantly increasing and its not your run of the mill “hackers” you think about. It’s anyone with access to your personal information, or knows enough detail about you to be able to worm their way into your accounts.

So, what can you do to secure your online banking details?

  1. Anti-virus

Make sure you have a high-quality anti-virus on your devices. Standard anti-virus protections used to be the go-to when it comes to keeping logins secure, however as cybercrime intensifies and becomes more sophisticated, so too does anti-virus protection. EDR or End-point detection constantly monitors and responds to any and all threats and malware across your devices, in real time. EDR is an ever evolving system that keeps up-to-date with all malware attacks, as they happen.

  1. Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor Authentication or multi-factor authentication as it is also known is another great step in keeping your account secure. Utilising these across multiple platforms instead of just the standard SMS code is well worth the few seconds of inconvenience. You can set up your 2FA or Multi-FA via email, SMS, software tokens, and also Google’s Authenticator app.

  1. Text alerts

Text alerts from your financial institution are a great way to keep track of what is going out of your bank. Yes, we know that SMS can be compromised. However, in the case that your number hasn’t been taken, seeing what is being deducted in real time can assist you in taking control of the situation before it becomes way out of hand.

  1. Do not click links sent to you from a financial institution

Do not use any links that have been provided to you. Go directly to the website and enter your login details there. Links sent to you could be from a phishing site and even though it may look legitimate, may very well be a scam.

  1. Only use secure networks, sites and mobile apps

Always use a secure network site or even the mobile app. If you need to do banking or transfers while out and about and a “free-Wi-fi” option pops up, it is best to avoid that as you would your mother-in-law. Anyone can access these free wi-fi networks and access everything that is being shared. If you are using the website, make sure it is secure (eg. HTTPS). Mobile apps have in-built securities already, so your information is kept secure.

  1. Avoid Pop ups

Avoid pop-ups. Financial institutions should never have pop-ups as their security measures are so thorough, they should never get through. If you do see pop-up ads on your banking website, do not click on them. Close it down and go back into the secure website, and try again. If you have further concerns, contact your financial institution directly.

  1. Update your strong password frequently

Have a strong password and change it often. A secure password should be a mix of upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and characters. Avoid using names of children, pets, and spouses, or the street you live on etc. Update these often, and if you have been compromised, login to a secure site and change them.

  1. Utilise Device Locks

Finally, locking your devices with biometrics (finger and face ID), PIN and passwords can help keep people out and unable to access your personal information. Remember, it isn’t just the guy in the dark hoodie behind a computer screen anymore, people able to access your personal details right next to you can defraud you, so stay vigilant and secure your online banking details from cyber criminals, today.

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Scam calls are on the rise

Posted on by Leah Porter

Scam calls are on the increase and scammers are becoming better at it. In most cases, scam calls originate from overseas. However, more scammers are spoofing, a way to hide an international number with an Australian one.

Scam calls include late tax bills, recent accidents or other ploys that may be related to everyday incidents that you may feel are relevant to you.

What is being done about it?

Lee Watson, a communications expert from Nehos Communications, said Legislation in Australia regarding scam call management was implemented in October 2020 and gained more attention in 2021, however, it “had little effect.”

“Towards the end of 2021, Telstra was taking a front-foot approach along with several other Telco’s where they were capturing suspect calls and providing warnings to their wholesale providers. Though this has had some positive impact this is complex and could affect legitimate calls was not enforced,” he said.

“Earlier in 2022, the Australian industry Regulator invited all Interested parties including telcos to share feedback and influence future “Reducing Scam Calls” code. 24 companies commented.

As a result, a new Industry code is expected in the coming months. The hope is that once implemented this will effectively target and combat scams”.

What does this all mean?

Enforcement. “When an entity makes a call through the service provider, the advertised number should be valid and hosted/held by the respective service provider. If not, the call should be rejected. This should have a positive impact on our domestic market.”

“International numbers showing from callers is more of a longer-term concern as we have little control, and these rely on the overseas telco management and their own numbering systems.

One thing to note for those receiving Domestic calls in Australia is – telephone numbers that can be displayed are ALL either 10-digit Geographic numbers OR 10-digit Mobile numbers.

13/1300 or 1800 number are NOT permitted and is illegal. If you receive a call showing this, it should be reported to your service provider.

What can you do?

The Do Not Call register is a great resource to remove yourself from legitimate call centres or with few exceptions from other unsolicited organisations. It can take a month after you register your number(s), but it certainly works. There are severe penalties for companies that call numbers that are registered.”

Unfortunately, the best defence is not to answer these calls. If you receive an SMS with a link on it, do not click the link. These links download enormous amounts of malware. Ignore and delete the any message you do not recognise.

If you are concerned that you have already clicked one of these links, you can discuss it with your IT professional and they can closely check your devices for malware and ensure you are safe.

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