Scam Emails

It is easy to be fooled by cybercrime scam emails, so it is important to stay vigilant online.

Online scam emails, also known as phishing emails, are unfortunately a common occurrence. Scammers use various techniques to trick people into revealing sensitive information or tricking them into sending them money.

Scammers are becoming increasingly savvy and convincing with their tactics. It is important to educate yourself and be aware of the red flags to avoid falling victim to these email scams and take precautions where possible.

SAPOL recently circulated information about a recent email scam:

Below is an actual scam email that is making the rounds online and is on the rise.

Extortion emails threaten recipients that embarrassing information will be made public unless they pay up. As below, these scammers are claiming to be professional hackers who have gained access to your accounts and are monitoring your activities.

They claim they have embarrassing information, chat histories, images and vision of the person using their computer, they then ask victims to make payments in money transfers or cryptocurrency.

If you have received an extortion email, it is important that you:

• Do not panic. It is unlikely these individuals have any compromising videos of you.
• Do not transfer any money or cryptocurrency.
• If the password included in the email is a password you recognise, change your password for any account where it has been used.
• Do not reply and do not click on any links.
• Be aware that the scammer could make the email appear as if it has come from your own email address. Delete the email immediately.

If you are a victim of cybercrime you are encouraged to make a report at https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/report

For further information on scams affecting South Australians, please visit http://www.police.sa.gov.au/scams

Source: South Australia Police

Email Tips

Here are just a few tips to keep in mind when going through your emails:

1. Be cautious of unsolicited emails from unknown senders or unexpected emails. Scammers often impersonate legitimate organisations, businesses or individuals that you do know.
2. Verify the sender’s email address. Check the email address, to see that it is legitimate, and matches official contact information.
3. Do not click any links, especially any links that appear suspicious. These links can take you to a website, or download a file, that can be harmful. Always hover over any links to see where it will take you in the event you do click it.
4. Read the email carefully and check for poor grammar and spelling. This is often a key sign that an email is not legitimate.
5. Is the email personally addressed to you, or generic? Another tell-tale sign.
6. Does the email ask you to act quickly, in a matter of urgency? This can often be another sign.
   
   

Finally, if you are concerned about an email that you have received, and you have opened any attachments or clicked suspicious links, contact the Forerunner Tech Team. Your computer may need to be scanned for potential malware and viruses, or unwanted files. Our Team can help you ensure your computer is clean and safe to use.

Call (08) 8269 5260 or email support@forerunner.com.au today.