When you look at your e-mails
The internet has provided scammers with
yet another method of contacting people in order to part them from
their money and there are many more seemingly fool proof offers for
you to “get rich quick”.
Some of the scams used are new, but many
of them are old favourites given a new twist for the internet.
“Phishing”
You receive an e-mail from “your bank” or
another financial institution, asking you to confirm your account
details either by a return e-mail or by directing you to an
official looking website for you to enter your details. If you did
enter details this would be used by the scammers to drain money
from your account.
This e-mail is sent out to hundreds of
people in the hope that one will think it is their real bank and
bite.
Real banks do not contact people in this
way.
If you receive a communication
purportedly from “your bank” asking for security details, report
the matter to your bank immediately.
In a recent variation on this, some e-Bay
customers have been contacted with similar messages supposedly from
e-Bay. e-Bay has confirmed that they do not send such e-mails.
Foreign money
laundering
These come as e-mails, faxes or letters,
usually from China, Nigeria or other African countries, with
requests that you give your bank details so that the writer can
‘transfer’ money into this country through your account. In
return you are offered a percentage of the millions which will be
passing your way. The money is often linked to a change in
government, a coup or the death of a long-lost relative.
These scams are well-known as
international fraud and are investigated by the police.
A website has been set up where details
of these scams can be logged – you can find it at
www.nafn.gov.uk
Someone with your surname
has
died abroad leaving a large
estate
You receive an unsolicited e-mail from
abroad. This claims that someone with the same surname as you has
died and as they have no other living relatives you are entitled to
their large estate simply because you have the same surname. If you
do get in touch to try to claim this money, you will be strung
along for cash and bank account details in much the same way as if
you had responded to the overseas money laundering scam mentioned
above.
About Overseas and other Lottery
e-mail Scams?
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is
urging people not to respond to requests asking them to send money
to claim ‘winnings’ from overseas lottery programmes.
The scam starts when people respond to
e-mails telling them they are being entered in a national lottery
or some other prize draw, often from Canada, Australia or Spain.
They then receive a phone call congratulating them on winning the
‘big prize’. However, before they can claim the prize, victims are
told they must send money to pay for taxes and processing
fees. Often these calls are repeated and further sums are
requested.
UK Consumers have lost thousands of
pounds through such schemes. The prize doesn’t exist, and they
never receive any winnings in return for their cash.
These scams usually ask for personal
details - full name, date of birth, next of kin, bank account - and
once you have given these they will ask for a substantial amount to
“claim” your prize, to “register” and to pay “taxes”. DON’T
REPLY!
If you have lost money and become a
victim of an overseas scam, the oft would like to hear from you.
Contact them by calling
0845 722 4499
Or you can report the matter to Consumer
Direct.
Chain Emails
These e-mails are just a modern version
of chain letters. You receive an e-mail at your home address
telling you of a miraculous way that you can earn vast sums of
money. Delete the e-mail from your inbox.
Miracle Cures
You receive an unsolicited e-mail
claiming to be able to cure a previously incurable disease or
ailment. Trading Standards advise that if a medical claim sounds
too good to be true it probably is. Always consult a health care
professional before parting with any money for treatments.
Random communications
from unknown sources
However interesting these may seem, do
not be tempted to open e-mails or attachments from unknown sources.
Apart from the risk of viruses, you could find your e-mail box
bombarded with further spam e-mails from hundreds of other rogue
e-mailers.
Never divulge your e-mail address,
personal details and passwords to unknown sources.
About premium rate
diallers
You find a large premium rate call or
series of calls on your phone bill which you do not recall making.
These seem to coincide with times that you were on the internet. If
this has happened to you, you may have been the victim of the
premium rate dialler scam.
Premium rate diallers are programmes on
websites that change your internet dial up number to an 09 premium
rate line. The website is supposed to clearly inform you in advance
that this is how you will be charged for accessing the site.
However certain rogue traders have been installing the diallers on
sites where there is no warning. As a result of this people are
unwittingly being charged at a premium rate for their entire
internet access until the point at which they notice and change the
number back - these charges could amount to hundreds of pounds.
One simple way to avoid this scam is to
block your internet phoneline from being able to make
premium rate calls, contact your phone company about how to do
this. If you are a broadband user make sure that the old modem card
in the computer is not still connected to your phone socket.
Trading Standards recommend you to
complain to ICSTIS, the regulator of 09 phone lines if you have
become a victim of this scam.
Contact ICSTIS and also check the status
of premium rate numbers by calling them on
0800 500 212
or
www.icstis.org.uk
How to avoid Internet and E-mail
scams
• Set up your e-mail account so that all
‘spam’ (e-mails from unknown senders) is delivered to your rubbish
or ‘trash’ folder.
• Think carefully before opening any
e-mails received from people who you do not know -especially if
they have an attachment, as these may contain viruses.
• If you receive an e-mail you consider
to be a scam then our best advice is to delete without opening
it.
• If you receive a communication
purportedly from your bank asking for security details then you
should immediately report the matter to your bank.
• Install firewalls and anti-virus
software on your computer for security.
If you receive any e-mails like
those we have described, simply delete them.
You can help reduce the amount of junk
e-mails which you receive by registering with the E-mail Preference
Service (EPS).
You can do this by by contacting them
at
www.e-mps.org
This will allow you to register a request
to members of The Direct Marketing Association not to email
you.
To contact Trading Standards and Consumer
Direct telephone 08454 04 05 06 or log onto www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
