Open Source Intelligence 101

If you have any sort of common sense you would know that there isn’t a prince or member of a royal African family that wants to send you their millions with no strings attached! However, even though this sort of scam has been ongoing for many years, the overall principals of a spam scam are still going strong and continue to grow and become more malicious each and every day. These are 4 of the most popular spam scams that like to pretend to come from an actual legitimate source, often tricking unknowing people into clicking on links and opening dangerous attachments. Fake password changes One of the most common scams is the password change alert or confirmation email that users will receive either from their bank, social media network or another trusted source. The scammers will trick the users into thinking their accounts have been hacked and urge them to click on a link or open a malicious attachment to reset their password. False bookings These scams ap...

An online shopping scam will usually include a scammer using a fake website or fake social media account/ store to trick you into buying something from them. The scam will usually also involve using fake adverts to try and lure victims in. A scammer will try and use unbelievable deals and services such as shipping overnight and free delivery to trick victims into not thinking twice and just acting on instinct. The goods that the scammer is offering are usually fake or you just never receive them. They will often ask you not to pay by card, but to use an EFT payment, gift card or cryptocurrency. Not only that, but a scammer will try and trick you into giving out your personal information, such as your bank information, by asking you to fill in a form to finish the order or to sign-up. Online shopping scams continue to increase every year, here’s how to spot and online shopping scam: - You receive an email from an online store, but you cannot find any info about...

A holiday scam is a type of scam that will take advantage of potential travelers who are looking to go on holiday by tricking them with falsely advertised fake holiday packages. Often, these fake holiday packages will include ideal accommodation or timeshare. It is easier than you think to fall for a holiday scam as the packages look legitimate as well as the websites they are advertised on. How does a holiday scam work? -- You will come across a website with an unbelievable holiday package. Alternatively, you could receive an email promoting an amazing holiday package. -- The deal is only running for the next few hours, so you need to pay for the package on the fake website before the time runs out and you miss the deal. -- You input your private details on the seemly genuine website, therefore giving away your card details. -- The purchase goes through, but you never receive the holiday package that you paid for. -- The cybercriminals now have access t...

Letting your guard down can lead to serious consequences, especially when it comes to fraud through your emails, SMS’s and even telephone calls. Phishing, smishing, and vishing are some of the many ways that criminals may try to defraud you… Here’s what you need to know about phishing, smishing, and vishing! Phishing: This is a scam that takes place through emails. A typical attack will occur when you receive an email that looks real, either appearing to be sent from your bank or other financial institution.  Most of the time the email will ask you to click on a link or update your private account information. Even though these emails may look legitimate, they are simply trying to scare you into clicking a link that will lead to a legitimate-looking website – but it isn’t! They will try and scare you into clicking links by saying, “your account has been blocked.” or “you need to install this new software to stay protected.” If you fall for this fake email, yo...