Cyber security: spam, scams, frauds and identity theftSpam, online scams and frauds, identity theft and issues related to online purchases are a serious issue in the online world. Navigating the Web while avoiding these threats can be a challenging task. Show
Spam refers to unsolicited bulk messages being sent through email, instant messaging, text messaging or other digital communication tools. It is generally used by advertisers because there are no operating costs beyond that of managing their mailing lists. It could also take place in chat rooms, in blogs and more recently within voice over internet conversation (such as Zoom). Beyond being a simple nuisance, spam can also be used to collect sensitive information from users and has also been used to spread viruses and other malware. Online identity theft is the theft of personal information in order to commit fraud. This can happen through your email account but can also be a result of online purchases or other situations where you give out sensitive information such as your credit card information. A related concern is identity spoofing, in which the victim is impersonated on social networking sites such as Instagram or Twitter. Identity spoofing may also involve spoofing someone’s Internet Protocol (IP) address (the unique number associated to your computer as you surf the internet). The purpose of identity spoofing on social networking sites can range from a simple prank to more serious attacks aimed at shaming or hurting someone’s social networks. Internet Protocol spoofing is used by hackers to cover their tracks or to gain access to places normally closed to them. Risks relating to online shopping can include overspending or receiving items that do not match their description once you have already paid for them (or not receiving any item at all). Scammers sometimes offer deals that are too good to be true, selling things that are counterfeit, stolen, damaged or that just don’t exist. Even a lot of legitimate online shopping sites have hidden costs that make what you’re buying more expensive than you thought it would be, like shipping and duty charges. The best defenses to these online scams and frauds generally rely on caution and skepticism when using the internet. For example:
The sections that follow give more detail on these threats and more detailed security tips for each. Understanding spamEmail spam Email spam is often disguised in an attempt to fool any anti-spam software you may have installed. Spammers try to find ways to modify or conceal their messages to achieve this, such as putting spaces between letters or replacing key letters with numbers or characters so that spam filters will not be triggered.[1] While your anti-spam software may not always be able to catch this, you should be able to identify it fairly easily. Spam may be used to bombard you with unsolicited messages, which may include inappropriate or offensive adult content. Spam may also contain malware or be part of a “phishing” scam (see the Online scams section below). Instant Messaging (IM) or text message spam Instant Messaging spam (IM spam) is similar to email spam. The main difference is that rather than focusing their efforts on bombarding your email inbox, spammers attempt to fool you on an instant messaging service such as Facebook Messenger, Apple’s iMessage, or as SMS text messages. While not as common as email spam, IM/SMS spam is more difficult to block out because no particular software exists specifically for spam received while using these services. A good way to avoid most of it is to create a closed list of friends from whom instant messages are accepted or to block numbers you do not recognize. Even then, it is always possible that a computer belonging to someone within your “safe” list could become infected, so any strange link you receive via IM/SMS should be verified before you click on it. If you click on the link, sometimes it will lead you to a webpage that has been made to look like the company it is claiming to be, but with slight differences, such as logos that are not hyperlinked back to main pages or slightly different fonts. Comment spam Spam is also often found in the comments s sections of online articles, as well as on social media platforms. These comments may simply be ads but can also include links leading to malicious or inappropriate websites. Most social networks, such as Instagram, warn that “scammers use these fake or compromised accounts to trick you into giving them money or personal information.”[2] If you see a comment that you think is spam, report it to the platform. Smart phone spam It is possible to receive spam messages through email, text messages or even phone calls on your mobile phone. On top of the usual issues with spam, you may be charged for these unsolicited text messages or pay valuable minutes for the intrusive phone calls.[3] It is important that you do not call back the number that has called you asking for information, even if it is from a source you recognize, as it could be a spammer or hacker pretending to be an institution. You should always call the company back on the number from their webpage that you personally find and dial. Security tips Never reply to spam. Doing so only identifies your phone, email or IM account as active to the sender and guarantees you will get further unwanted messages. Rely on your better judgment: anything that looks like marketing or advertising or generally out of place usually isn’t worth your attention.[4]
Online scamsAuction fraud Online auction fraud is common and one of the most complained-about online issues today. You can run into several different scams when shopping online. While making purchases on an online auction site such as eBay, for example, you could end up paying for stolen or counterfeit goods, or for goods that never arrive at all. In addition to this, sellers can place false bids on their own goods to drive their prices up or could include disproportionately large or hidden shipping and handling fees.[6] A healthy dose of skepticism and caution is definitely required when shopping online. Some sellers, unfortunately, take advantage of the scarcity of popular products such as the Nintendo Switch to defraud buyers. Email/IM phishing scam The main goal of these scams is to obtain personally identifiable information or to get access to credit cards or bank accounts. Phishing (mentioned above) is when someone attempts to lure you into compromising your password information through emails (usually claiming to be from a bank) and Web pages that appear to be legitimate but are not the real thing. Keep in mind that banks and other financial institutions never contact clients by email first. If you think there may be a problem with your bank account or credit card, call your bank or credit card company or go to their legitimate website (remember to confirm that the Web address starts with https, as in https:www.abank.ca).[7] There are a number of signs that can raise red flags about the legitimacy of emails that claim to be from a financial institution:
Scareware Scareware is the term used to refer to online “pop-up” alerts which claim to have detected a virus or other problem on your computer. These often claim to be from internet security companies or from law enforcement agencies. Clicking on one of these can have a variety of negative effects, from downloading malware onto your computer to exposing your personal information. In some cases, clicking on a scareware pop-up will simply freeze your computer, after which the scammers will try to extort money from you in exchange for unlocking it.[9] Scareware can generally be avoided by running a pop-up blocker. Most browsers allow you to determine whether or not you see pop-ups:
Running a reliable internet security program will also help keep you from receiving malicious pop-ups, as will some add-on programs such as AdAware and NoScript. 419 Scam This scam, also known as the advance fee scam, starts with an email from someone who claims to need your help moving money out of another country. The catch is that you must provide some money up front, supposedly to cover a transfer fee, with the promise of receiving a small fortune when the task is complete.[10] Victims of this fraud typically lose thousands of dollars.[11] Chain letter scams Chain letter scams involve sending an email to a large list of contacts which prompts them to forward it to their own contacts and so on. In the email, you are asked to send a small amount of money to a certain number of contacts and to add your name to the contact list. This supposedly guarantees that in the end a large amount of money will come back your way. The problem with this is that it is a modern-day version of a pyramid scheme: only the original senders ever make any money. Chain letter scams of this nature are illegal in most countries, including Canada and the U.S. Postal forwarding/reshipping scam In this scam, you are asked, either through emails or online job postings, to receive and then reship goods for a foreign company. The goods that come your way, however, are usually stolen or acquired through credit card fraud, making you an accessory to the scammers’ crimes.[12] “Congratulations, you’ve won a PlayStation…” scam This scam begins with an email telling you that you have won a popular gadget, such as a new gaming console, but to receive it, you have to submit your bank account or credit card information to cover shipping charges. Not only will you lose that money, but you may also have your bank account or credit card compromised. If you legitimately win a product, you will not be asked for any personal financial information or to pay for the shipping.[13] Gaming console threats Because most gaming consoles today are able to connect to the internet, they are now susceptible to some of the security issues that are associated with computers. Hackers can gain access to gaming consoles and personal details through emails claiming that payment methods have not gone through and also by offering discounts through in game messaging. A third way that hackers gain access is by directly breaching the security of the game companies themselves.[14] Supply chain hackers have also been known to sneak malware into the video games being inserted into devices, causing the malware to spread throughout the system and steal personal data.[15] Security tips
Identity theftData theft The internet provides innovative ways for people to steal personal information and to commit fraud. Thieves can obtain your information in several different ways, such as spreading viruses that install key loggers (programs which record everything you type) on your computer to discover your passwords, usernames and credit card numbers. Many online businesses store personal information about customers and shoppers on their websites so that it can be used for quick and easy service when a customer returns to the website. While convenient, this also provides another way for personal information to be accessed. For example, in 2018, MyFitnessPal experienced a data breach that resulted in around 617 million customer accounts leaked and information offered for a price on compromised websites like Dream Market.[16] Following the breach, MyFitnessPal, owned by Under Armour, urged customers to change passwords regularly, review accounts for suspicious activity, be cautious of “unsolicited communications” and to avoid downloading links from suspect materials. Their acknowledgement went on to claim they did not know who had breached the system and would update the software to prevent it from happening again.[17] Unfortunately, only one breach is enough for consumers to lose faith in the security of a company that stores their personal information. Identity theft can go beyond criminals using personal information for monetary gain. This information may also be used to obtain legal documents such as a driver’s licence, health care, social insurance number and passport. This was the case for Gerber Guzman in 2014, who was arrested and detained twice for long periods of time because his identity had been stolen six years prior and there was a warrant out for his name regarding drug charges. Yarina Hernandez, Guzman’s wife, fought very hard to get him out of prison and stated, “they told us it wasn’t going to happen again and fast forward six years later, and it’s still happening!”[18] Security tips A good start for preventing identity theft is not giving out any unnecessary information. Be especially careful in protecting your social insurance number.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) is one of many organizations that provides valuable facts and information about identity theft, including preventative measures to identity theft concerns. For consumers who believe they are a victim of identity theft, the OPC recommends taking immediate steps to protect yourself by placing fraud alerts on your credit cards, filing police reports and filing a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.[20] This can be done by contacting . Identity spoofingOnline identity spoofing is when someone else impersonates either you or your computer. Professional scammers have been known to impersonate famous actors, musicians and athletes as well as other important political and corporate figures. For example, in 2018, a woman in Chicago was convinced she was speaking with Bruce Springsteen, who was being impersonated over social media. After the scammer manipulated her into thinking they were in relationship and continuously asking the woman for money, she ended up sending them $11,500 through money transferring sites. Similarly, a 78-year-old woman, believing she’d been communicating with Kenny Chesney, ended up sending the scammer over ten thousand dollars that ended up in China, according to the police.[21] IP address spoofing Spoofing an IP address involves changing the header of an Internet Protocol address (that allows servers to know where information is coming from) to match someone else’s IP. If your IP address is spoofed, this may cause you to be associated with illegal activities like hacking websites and may also provide a hacker with access to systems that read your computer as “trusted.”[22] Security tips
Website/browser hoaxesTyposquatting Typosquatting involves setting up false, scam or malicious websites with Web addresses that are very similar to popular sites, in the hopes that users will navigate to them by typing them in accidentally. To avoid this, bookmark the sites you use often (using the “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” function in your browser) rather than typing them in the address bar. Mousetrapping Mouse trapping is a technique used by online marketers to ‘trap’ users on a malicious site. The website can disable your “back” button or bombard you with multiple popup windows. After a certain amount of time you may be able to leave but in some cases you may have no other choice but to restart your computer. Pagejacking Pagejacking occurs when a search engine misdirects users to a false copy of a popular website. Once there, users are usually directed to new pages that contain advertisements and offers. In some cases, these sites may be malicious or contain inappropriate material such as hate content or pornography.[23] Pharming Pharming redirects users from legitimate sites to fraudulent sites that track the information that is entered such as credit card numbers, banking information and usernames or passwords. To do this, ‘pharmers’ send out a virus that causes computers to associate a legitimate domain name with a fraudulent website. Some pharmers, however, attack the website’s server rather than individual computers, so that every visitor is sent to a malicious version of the site.[24] Security tips
Overspending on real goods With a host of online retail, auction and daily deals sites it’s easy to get carried away and spend more than intended. This is especially true considering that most online purchases are made using credit. Overspending on virtual goods The market in “virtual goods” - items and services that exist only online - is estimated to reach USD $189.76 billion by the year 2025.[25] Many of these goods relate to online games, from purchasing the games themselves, to upgrading avatars, purchasing items or getting through levels more quickly. Apps for mobile devices are also popular purchases online (Apple claims to offer 1.96 million Apps for its iPod, iPhone and iPad platforms).[26] Security tips Whether overspending is on physical or virtual goods, there are a number of tools and strategies that can help keep this under control.
[8] Meyers, Adam. “5 red flags than an email is a scam.” Moneyville.ca, April 22 2012. [9] “Scareware uses child porn warning to scam money.” CBC News, April 19 2012. [11] Nolen, Stephanie. Nigerian Scammers Feeding on Greed, Gullibility. The Globe and Mail, December 5 2005. Is defined as unsolicited messages that are usually sent in massive numbers using electronic mail systems?Spamming is the use of messaging systems to send multiple unsolicited messages (spam) to large numbers of recipients for the purpose of commercial advertising, for the purpose of non-commercial proselytizing, for any prohibited purpose (especially the fraudulent purpose of phishing), or simply repeatedly sending the ...
What is the term used to describe unwanted software that installs along?Malware, or malicious software, is any program or file that is intentionally harmful to a computer, network or server.
Is when a victim is promised a large sum of money in exchange for a bank account number from which a small advance fee is withdrawn?An advance-fee scam is a form of fraud and is one of the most common types of confidence tricks. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster claims will be used to obtain the large sum.
What are the main software categories quizlet?Terms in this set (3). Systems Software. Software designed to operate and control hardwear on a computer. ... . Development Software. Used by editors to program, document and test new software and applications.. Application Software. A program designed to be used by consumers.. |