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Fraud guide

Social engineering

Top tips to stay safe

Social engineering is when scammers trick people into giving away personal information. They want passwords, bank details, to install harmful software on your computer or to convince you to send them money.

  • Don't open suspicious emails: if an email looks odd, don’t open it or its attachments. If you’re unsure about the sender, do a quick Google search to check if they are real.
  • Update your security software: keep your antivirus and antimalware programs updated. Make sure they are working and scan your computer  for possible infections.
  • Verify requests for information: if you get a message asking for passwords or financial information, check with the company directly. If the message was from a friend, give them a call to make sure it really is them.
  • Beware of great offers: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be careful when it comes to bargains.
Scam email impersonating a cloud storage provider, warning that storage is almost full and urging the recipient to increase their storage to avoid problems.

Social engineering example

This fake email example shows how criminals use different tactics to steal someone's money and personal information. These tactics are also used in text messages. In addition to the three tactics below, look out for other warning signs, such as poor grammar and spelling and fake logos.

Things to look out for

  • Too-Good-to-Be-True offers: scammers appeal to people's interest in a bargain or free item. They may ask for your bank details to send an item that never arrives.
  • Messages on social media: fraudsters can hack into your friends accounts pretending to be them and attempt to take personal information from you.
  • Impersonating people with authority: fraudsters usually start by building trust with you pretending to be a co-worker, police, bank and even HMRC to trick you into giving away personal details.
  • Fake infection alerts: you might get calls, texts, or pop-ups telling you your device has a virus. They might prompt you to install harmful software that steals your data.

 

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