Be ready for Halloween scare on Internet: avoid scam attacks
By Gina on October 31, 2011 | Computer Security, Halloween scam, shopping scam, computer security, malware, trojan infections
Trick or Treat phrase may also be famous as scammers’ motto, because Halloween becomes their perfect background to spread malware, viruses and other infections on computers.
It’s very probable that phishers or scammers will use this celebration for their malicious intentions. They will Trick you into believing something fictitious and will Treat you with their best wishes into forcing you to purchase something illegal and malicious that may be crucial for your computer security or privacy.
A research analyst at GFI Software, Jovi Umawing commented: „The combination of things that people will search for online at this time of year presents multiple opportunities for scammers to try to compromise personal data and corrupt computers. It is paramount that people are vigilant and approach anything with a Halloween theme with caution.“
Every year Halloween is the most profitable celebration for scammers who earn much money via spreading various scams via Internet. You need to be vigilante and not to fall for such scams:
1. Shopping scams. For the past three years users were getting rogue Halloween greeting cards that were offered for free if you would fill a survey for your credit card information. J. Umawing noted: “This is in fact a scam to harvest your personal and financial information for criminal use at a later date. The data doesn't even go to the legitimate credit card issuer referenced“.
2. The Dancing Skeleton. Be careful of videos of some jokes or something “popular” like that because normally such videos have a backdoor for trojan to sneak onto your computer. Pay an attention that these kinds of videos or pictures or links are offered to you very persuasively via email.
3. The fake party invitation. Avoid downloading any attachments that are send to your email and offered for free because it may be scam that is waiting to be installed on your PC. Be suspicious enough to not click on any links or attached files by inertia.
It is also recommended to be careful on your Facebook or Twitter because scammers are using them for their malicious intentions as well because these social networks are a great playground for cyber criminals.
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