Tag Archives: Identity Theft

Phishing scam: University of Texas (San Antonio) email expiration

How’s this for a good phishing scam? Everything seems legit: 1. From email is “customerservice@utsa.edu” 2. No misspelled words and has decent grammar (however, some punctuation inconsistency) 3. Copyright (c) symbol next to the university name 4. Gmail did not filter it as spam, but left it in my normal inbox     Yes, if […]

Why are Cybercriminals Moving from PCs to Mobile Devices?

The number of households in the United States that rely solely on mobile phones continues to increase. As of July 2011, 31% of households had mobile phones and no landlines. Additionally, almost one in six households used mobile phones exclusively or almost exclusively, despite still having a landline. This is the first time that adults Read more…

Why are Cybercriminals Moving from PCs to Mobile Devices?

The number of households in the United States that rely solely on mobile phones continues to increase. As of July 2011, 31% of households had mobile phones and no landlines. Additionally, almost one in six households used mobile phones exclusively or almost exclusively, despite still having a landline. This is the first time that adults Read more…

What is a “Drive-By” Download?

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Gone are the days when you had to click to “accept” a download or install a software update in order to become infected. Now, just opening a compromised web page could allow dangerous code to install on your device. You just need to visit or “drive by” a web page, without stopping to click or Read more…

Criminals Prefer Pheasting on Phish Over Spam

Most of us are aware of spam, and while we may think it’s just an annoyance, what’s really dangerous about it is the fact that most spam are phishing attempts. Phishing is when cybercriminals attempt to fraudulently acquire your personal information, such as passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy person or Read more…

Protect Yourself from Tax Time Scams

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Tax season is now upon us, and more than ever, we are opting for the convenience of filing taxes online (81% of us did in 2012). While filing online may be faster and more convenient, there is also some risk that you need to be aware of. During 2012, the IRS discovered  $20 billion of Read more…

Is Facebook Making You Feel A Little Down?

Now – it is essential that you are totally honest with me. Promise! So, tell me – do the Facebook photos of your friends’ holidays and ‘fabulous’ social gatherings make you feel a little down or de-energised? Does the talk of restaurants and over-achieving children ever make you feel jealous? Well, if your answer is Read more…

Fake Friends Fool Facebook Users

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The word friend is defined as “one who entertains for another such sentiments of esteem, respect and affection; an intimate associate.” But that definition seems to have gone out the window with the advent of social networks. Studies show 50% of people will accept a Facebook “friend” or LinkedIn invitation from a total stranger. So Read more…

Fake Friends Fool Facebook Users

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The word friend is defined as “one who entertains for another such sentiments of esteem, respect and affection; an intimate associate.” But that definition seems to have gone out the window with the advent of social networks. Studies show 50% of people will accept a Facebook “friend” or LinkedIn invitation from a total stranger. So Read more…

What is a Botnet?

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The word botnet or bot is short for robot network.  A botnet is a group of Internet-connected personal computers that have been infected by a malicious applica­tion (malware) that allows a hacker to control the infected computers or mobile devices without the knowledge of the device owners. When malware is launched on your computer or Read more…