Viruses

Fraudsters often ask you to follow a link from an email to a malicious web site. It's here that they'll try to install viruses or similar software on your system - using vulnerabilities in your web browser.

Be wary - these emails may simply seem to be about a harmless subject such as a joke or greetings card. It's the fraudster's way of lowering your defences.

Click on the link, and your computer is likely to become a victim of a destructive virus or similar software. This could:

• Make your computer corrupt, or stop it working altogether.
• Spy on the keys you press and other activity, helping fraudsters to identify your passwords.
• Redirect you from a genuine internet site to a scam website, an activity known as 'pharming'.