Common Scams Section

[GiveMeABreak]

I still don't understand these e-mails advising that a - non-existant - order has been dispatched. Just what does the sender (hope to) achieve?

In many of these, once one responds, they will either ask for further info, get you to ring a number and try to get the other info out of you, or in other cases they will ask you to download a file which can be malicious. But most of these are to fool you into giving some additional info and to trick you into giving security information or getting you to confirm a password or account number!

They are ruthless and heartless and care not what they say in order to get money out of you.

[CitroJim]

It may be that, in responding to such an e-mail, the scammer can then 'farm' the header details (and so on) to gain more information about you (and your system, possibly allowing them to hack in). Just in responding you have let them know it is a live account.

Yes, exactly... It proves it's a 'live' email that gets read...

Likewise, NEVER click on any unsubscribe links in dodgy emails... It can do the same thing as well as take you to a very dodgy website...

[Gibbo2286]

Three times this week I've had the pre-recorded American lady(cough) telling me that she's from BT and they're going to shut down my broadband...…."press 1 now"

Each time from a different number.

[GiveMeABreak]

It’s a spoofed number and they charge every call.so no point adding them to BT Call Protect and using your 100 spaces if you subscribe to that service. I’ve had 15 over the last 2 weeks. Bought a call blocker yesterday!

[Gibbo2286]

It’s a spoofed number and they charge every call.so no point adding them to BT Call Protect and using your 100 spaces if you subscribe to that service. I’ve had 15 over the last 2 weeks. Bought a call blocker yesterday!

Maybe it's a marketing strategy by the call blocker sales department.

[CitroJim]

It’s a spoofed number and they charge every call.so no point adding them to BT Call Protect and using your 100 spaces if you subscribe to that service. I’ve had 15 over the last 2 weeks. Bought a call blocker yesterday!

Maybe it's a marketing strategy by the call blocker sales department.

Many a true word spoken in jest

[van ordinaire]

It may be that, in responding to such an e-mail, the scammer can then 'farm' the header details (and so on) to gain more information about you (and your system, possibly allowing them to hack in). Just in responding you have let them know it is a live account.

Yes, exactly... It proves it's a 'live' email that gets read...

Likewise, NEVER click on any unsubscribe links in dodgy emails... It can do the same thing as well as take you to a very dodgy website...

I understand that, but there are no links or attachments & they don't call for a response; it's simply a statement of "fact"

[sparksie]

In my case there was always either a clicky, or an attachment.
They say things like "Thank you for your Paypal payment. Click here to view your account". Or, "your payment has cleared and you order has been despatched. Your invoice is attached"
There's always something to tempt you into making a mistake. Never click anything in the body of an email, unless you know exactly what it does and who sent it. Likewise, never open an unsolicited attachment, no matter what bank,government agency, club, or whatever it claims to come from

[myglaren]

I avoid the obvious, as above but feel reasonably safe using disposable Linux installations but do think it would be wise to run an encrypted drive and a sandbox.

[CitroJim]

And just the act of opening an email can generate a read receipt back to the originator...

[GiveMeABreak]

^ I turn on / off read and delivered receipts in outlook (through options) , but when I get an email requesting a receipt I can opt whether to allow it or not depending on recipient. One may need a slightly more comprehensive email client though.

[bobins]

It's entirely possible that a forward thinking / pro-active ISP or a decent anti-virus software is already stripping out any malicious attachments before they even get to you. I know mine does occasionally.

[doctle]

My 2/- worth.
If possible use Linux as your operating system, it's faster and way more secure than Windows plus it doesn't need an antivirus slowing down your computer. Don't use Google chrome, they harvest data. I suspect they sell the data on and it goes down the line again and again. I use Firefox browser it's secure and reasonably fast. For email I use Thunderbird it's fast secure and marks dodgy emails and flashes a warning if you click on a dodgy link.
If you do anything with a credit card or online banking use an on-screen keyboard. The system doesn't know what numbers or letters you click on so it can't save them. If there's a keylogger installed on your computer it won't pick up what you clicked wither.
DON'T use a password manager for important passwords memorise them. If your browser asks to save a password click no same as if a website wants to know your location don't allow it unless it's for maps.
Look for https at the start of a web address if it's not there be careful or just don't go there.
I got an email before Christmas from "myself" saying my account had been hacked and I had to send a bitcoin to some fool or all my p**n viewing sites would be passed on to my employer. I don't have an employer and last time I looked at p**n it was a top shelf magazine! It's easy to send someone an email that looks like it came from their own account.

https://www.komando.com/happening-now/4 ... ing-online

[myglaren]

I have had the odd lockfile intrusion (locks and encrypts all you files and holds you to ransom for a decrypt key)
Just ignored on Linux as it does nothing but even if it did it is the work of a few minutes to wipe that profile and create a new clean one.
Tough luck if you don't have a remote backup.

It is also said that if you re-encrypt the files it decrypts them. No evidence for this though.

[doctle]

I have had the odd lockfile intrusion (locks and encrypts all you files and holds you to ransom for a decrypt key)
Just ignored on Linux as it does nothing but even if it did it is the work of a few minutes to wipe that profile and create a new clean one.
Tough luck if you don't have a remote backup.

It is also said that if you re-encrypt the files it decrypts them. No evidence for this though.

I been using Linux for a few years apart from not being able to use OBD software like Lexia it's great (and free)