Prince Charming: The Valentine’s Day scammer
In this feature, we highlight some of the key tactics used by cybercriminals via online dating websites, helping you stay safe on Valentine's Day.
Scams
Southwest Airlines flight giveaway scams spread on Facebook
There is no such thing as a free lunch, and even if there was... who likes airline food that much anyway?
Facebook at 12: Bigger, better and securer?
In recognition of Facebook’s 12th birthday and its 1.2 billion active users who still enjoy using it, a timely guide on how to keep your account secure.
Tech support scams: 3 steps to conning unsuspecting victims
Tech support scams are “still big business”, ESET’s David Harley has previously said. In this guide we look at how fraudsters dupe their victims into handing over cash, while also corrupting their devices.
WhatsApp scam extends into multiple countries and brands
IKEA, KFC, H&M and 7-Eleven are just a few popular brands that are being exploited by cybercriminals via WhatsApp. We take a closer look at this multi-country, multi-brand fraud.
Tech Support Scams: Top of the Pop‑Ups
Support scams and fake alerts are still big business. We look at scammer psychology and a little parapsychology.
Criminals, linguistics, literacy and attribution
Linguistics and some form of textual analysis can be helpful in analysing malware and scams. Regional attribution, though, still requires caution.
Fake vouchers and WhatsApp: Analyzing a new scam trend
Over the last few weeks we’ve seen an increase in fake vouchers being spread via WhatsApp. This scam has all the hallmarks of a global campaign.
Support scams, malware and mindgames without frontiers
Introduction It might not have escaped your notice that I write quite a lot about support scams, an issue in which most commentators in the security industry take only sporadic interest and tend to regard as of only niche interest. (As when a scammer is damaging their brand or product in some way, for instance
Support Scammers and Self‑Justification
Support scammers: old twisters, new twists, and scammer psychology.
Microsoft advises ‘spoofed’ Skype users to change passwords
Skype users have been advised by Microsoft to change their passwords following reports that 'spoofed' messages are being sent without user permission.
Phone Scams: Increasing Numbers, Wider Scope
There's a lot more to phone scams than tech support, giving rise to an escalating number of complaints. Here's what two recent reports tell us.
(More) Confessions of a Support Scammer
David Harley examines the latest confessions of a support scammer to appear on the web, this time from a Reddit Q&A.
Phish Phood for Thought
In 2007, David Harley and Andrew Lee suggested at Virus Bulletin that poorly-designed phish quizzes did more harm than good. Has the picture changed much?
Love hurts: Online dating scams are Australia’s top financial fraud
Australians were tricked out of around AUS$82 million (US$66 million) during 2014, with online dating scams accounting for the biggest losses.
Google releases Password Alert: an anti‑phishing Chrome extension
Google has taken a stand against phishing attacks by revealing Password Alert: a Chrome extension designed to neutralize them after a user is taken in.
Accident Scam Waiting to Happen
Beware of that accident scam call or text: losing money isn't the only risk.
Tech Support Scammers with Teeth
Some support scammers and their assassination threats may seem dumb, but they're no joke.They can cause serious damage as we discuss it in this article.
SEO Scams and Semi‑Scams
Search Engine Optimization: it's an essential component of internet marketing strategy, I guess, but one with a bad public image, especially in the wake of years of abuse of optimization techniques by purveyors of malware and other bad actors (Black Hat SEO, or BHSEO).
Hackers phish for data with fake Apple Watch giveaway
Apple fans keen to get their hands on the Apple Watch are advised to think before they click, after hackers exploited a wave of enthusiasm around the launch with a phishing scam linked to a fake giveaway.