Fenland: Don't get reeled in by the phishers!

We apologise if our Fenland Citizen readers sometimes get bored of reading the same advice – namely, don’t click on links or download files in unexpected emails.

However, more people than ever are getting caught out by scams that steal sensitive information or infect their computer with malware.

Recent research shows that 99% of on-line fraud happens when victims open an infected file or click a link in a scam email, otherwise known as “phishing”.

These phishing attacks are popular with hackers as they are cheaper to implement than building malware to exploit software flaws.

Phishing scammers have become incredibly sophisticated and targeted in their approach.

The phishing emails that they send are well-written, often personalised, contain the logos of well-known and trusted brands and are written in such a way that it’s difficult to tell the difference between a genuine email and one that is untrustworthy.

If you do click on a phishing link or download a malicious attachment, you should take the following actions immediately:

n Disconnect your device from the internet to prevent an attacker from remotely accessing your device and to help reduce the risk of malware spreading to other devices on your network.

To do this, unplug the internet cable from your computer or laptop or, if you are connected through a Wi-Fi network, you’ll need to access your Wi-Fi settings and disconnect from the current network or turn off the power to your router.

n Back up your files since data can easily be destroyed or deleted after a phishing attack. Use an external hard drive, USB or cloud storage.

n Scan your machine for malware using anti-virus software.

You will need to launch the program and perform a full system scan.

If an error message pops up telling you that you cannot run the scan as you’re not connected to the internet, ignore it.

You will still be able to run a scan offline.

n Change your passwords IMMEDIATELY.

If you’ve entered any personal information, you should change these details as soon as possible from an uncompromised machine.

This applies to ALL online accounts such as email, social media, shopping and banking.

One thing that should always arouse suspicion is an attachment you weren’t expecting.

Most companies, councils, banks and government agencies have improved the ways in which they tell the public what kind of things they will and will not send in an email.

But if you are ever in doubt, give them a call.