Thursday, 02 December 2021 18:26

This is so good and so easy?

Written by Evelyn Alas

Scams, phishing, spam emails and misleading offers abound in cyberspace, but this time of year, when our gift list increases considerably, is particularly sensitive to these types of scams.

When we talk about phishing we are referring to a form of deception whereby attackers send a message (bait) to one or several people, with the purpose of convincing them to reveal confidential information such as passwords and credit card numbers.

There is more than one form of phishing, but one tactic is the most common: victims receive an email or text message that mimics (or "impersonates") a trusted person or organization, such as a co-worker, bank or government office. This person or institution asks to send data such as bank accounts, passwords, phone number, among others, to access some important information or "avoid some penalty".

Recently, PandaLabs, a laboratory specialized in computer security released information about a wave of phishing attacks, in which fraudsters impersonate the identity of the popular marketplace Amazon to get hold of the victim's bank details.

Acer offers you some recommendations that you should take into account before sitting down at your laptop and shopping.

Avoid online transactions from a public wifi, especially when you have personal ones. Most of these public networks are vulnerable to hackers and could easily obtain all your registered information. If you are away from home, it is recommended to share mobile data to the laptop.

If you are suspicious of the origin and content of the email, delete the message without opening it. Remember that these emails use names and adopt the image of real companies, have as sender the name of the company or that of a real employee of the company, include websites that are visually the same as those of real companies and use gifts as a hook.

However, they are usually poorly written or translated, so this can be an indicator that something is wrong.

Do not enter your bank's website by clicking on links included in e-mails, as you may be directed to a fraudulent website in a hidden way. Type the web address directly into your browser or use bookmarks/favorites if you want to go faster.

Common sense and prudence is as essential as keeping your computer protected with a good antivirus that blocks this type of attack. In addition, you should always keep your operating system and web browsers up to date.

If you realize that you have been phished, identify what kind of information you have put at risk; change your passwords, cancel subscriptions and block your bank card if necessary, and contact the company or institution that has been phished, or your bank.