Tag: scams

Email Scams

ANOTHER WARNING about Scams.

I recently received a Scam Email trying blackmail to extort money.

It starts like this:

Hi. How are you?

I know, it’s unpleasant to start the conversation with bad news, but I have no choice.

Few months ago, I have gained access to your devices that used by you for internet browsing.

Afterwards, I could track down all your internet activities.

Here is the history of how it could become possible:

At first, I purchased from hackers the access to multiple email accounts (nowadays, it is a really simple thing to do online).

As result, I could easily log in to your email account (one of my email addresses).

One week later, I installed Trojan virus in Operating Systems of all devices of yours, which you use to open email.

Frankly speaking, it was rather straightforward (since you were opening the links from your inbox emails).

Everything ingenious is quite simple. ……

AND SO ON …. It goes on to claim that it has evidence of access to porn sites:

As I was gathering information about you, I couldn’t help but notice that you are also a true fan of adult-content websites.

You actually love visiting porn sites and browsing through kinky videos, while pleasuring yourself.

And then demands money not to release this information.

WHATEVER YOU DO – DON’T FALL FOR IT.  Note it as Spam/Junk and then delete it.

This is a link to the Australian Government site https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/view-all-content/alerts/sextortion-email-campaign-impacting-australians

Also this is a good YouTube video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9CYBP_yfXM

I note that the YouTube video is sponsored by a Password Manager (Last Pass).  A password manager is essential these days – as is two factor authorisation / identification (2FA)

ALSO DO NOT RE-USE PASSWORDS.

The following is a list of some Password Managers  (I am not recommending any – do your own research)

Last Pass https://www.lastpass.com/

1 Password  https://1password.com/

Bitwarden   https://bitwarden.com/

Dashlane  https://www.dashlane.com/

RoboForm  https://www.roboform.com/

AND IF ALL of your devices are MAC/APPLE, Keychain is a very good password manager and comes free with Apple devices. Browsers also have password managers BUT all the experts say to get a separate password manager that works everywhere.

CNET has a good article here https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/best-password-manager/

OR Tom’s Guide https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-password-managers,review-3785.html

REMINDER – HANG UP, DELETE, DON’T RESPOND and BLOCK

I have written before about being cautious with unsolicited phone calls and Emails (and in fact any and all forms of contact)  – Refer the reports detailed in:

https://whysun.com/uncategorized/solo-network-pty-ltd-report-no-3/

https://whysun.com/uncategorized/solo-network-continued/

https://whysun.com/uncategorized/solo-network-02-8378-7903/

These problems, if anything, are getting worse. I regularly get scam calls on my home phone and, even though I block the numbers, it makes little difference. I have to laugh. My home phone has space for hundreds of blocked numbers but it gets filled up after a while and I have to delete and start over.

This post is a reminder of the golden rule:

NEVER EVER RESPOND IN ANY WAY TO UNSOLICITED APPROACHES – EMAILS –  PHONE CALLS – SMS – KNOCKS AT THE DOOR.

If you want something – YOU initiate the contact and only with established, known and reputable organisations and YOU get the phone number from the phone book or Email address from an independent source  OR PREFERABLY  visit their place of business.

AND as well as never clicking on links in Emails, I would add links in SMS and all types of messages EVEN IF the message/Email appears to come from someone you know.

I received one of those recorded voice phone calls to-day. It was from “Amazon” but it would be the same Phishing scam as all the others –  credit cards/ NBN etc.

As it happens I do have an Amazon account and if I was worried, which I wasn’t, I would still hang up on the call and log into my Amazon account to check. Always hang up on the call immediately and, if worried, log into the account and check. Remember, NBN never makes contact with you.

The latest worry is the so called “Flubot” SMS scam. A good explanation is in this Gizmodo article. https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2021/08/flubot-malware-text-scam/

This is the Australian Government site regarding the matter:  https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2021-08/acma-warns-sms-malware-scams

So far it only affects Android phones as they allow Apps to be downloaded from outside the Play Store.  This is called Sideloading.

Apple iPhones only allow Apps from the App Store BUT DON’T TAKE ANY CHANCES – delete and block. Pressure is being applied to Apple in both the US and EU to allow sideloading of Apps on iPhone. Let’s hope that this is not successful and if you have an Android phone, only load Apps from the Play Store; HOWEVER, don’t get caught in the first place.

HANG UP, DELETE, DON’T RESPOND and BLOCK numbers if you can.

Reputable companies don’t cold call anymore.

This is the government scamwatch article Missed call or voicemail (Flubot) scams | Scamwatch