Phishing scams are attempts by scammers to trick you into giving out your personal information such as your bank account numbers, passwords and credit card numbers. Phishing - the scammer tricks you into handing over your personal information. Hacking - the scammer gains access to your information by exploiting security weaknesses on your computer, mobile device or network. Remote scams - the scammer tricks you into giving access to your computer and paying for a service you don't need. Malware & ransomware - Malware tricks you into installing software that allows scammers to access your files and track what you are doing, while ransom ware demands payment to ‘unlock’ your computer or files. Fake online profiles - the scammer sets up a fake profile on a social media or dating site and sends you a ‘friend’ request. Document theft - the scammer gains access to your private information through unlocked mailboxes or discarded personal documents such as utility bills, insurance renewals or health care records. Protect yourself Do not open suspicious texts or emails – delete them. Verify the identity of the contact by calling the relevant organization directly – find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search. Do not use the contact details provided in the message sent to you. Never send money or give credit card, online account details or copies of personal documents to anyone you don’t know or trust. Choose passwords that would be difficult for others to guess, and update them regularly. Don't use the same password for every account, and don't share them with anyone. Secure your networks and devices with anti-virus software and a good firewall. Avoid using public computers or WiFi hotspots to access or provide personal information. Be very careful about how much personal information you share on social network sites. Scammers can use your information and pictures to create a fake identity or to target you with a scam. When making online payments, only pay for items using a secure payment service—look for a URL starting with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol, or a well known payment provider . Put a lock on your mailbox and shred or destroy any documents containing personal information before disposing of them.

Identity theft is a type of fraud that involves using someone else's identity to steal money or gain other benefits. Scammers use websites or online classifieds to advertise items, such as mobile phones, event tickets, visa waiver, game codes and cars, that don’t exist. Be careful when sending money in response to an online advertisement. Malware Malware scammers send emails and social media messages at random with links purporting to be on something topical—news, an event or something 'interesting'. If you click on the link you may be taken to a fake website that looks like the real deal, complete with logos and branding of legitimate sites. In order to view the video, you will be asked to install some software, such as a ‘codec’, to be able to access the video format. If you download the software, your computer will be infected with malware (malicious software). Another way of delivering a malware scam is through websites and pop-ups that offer 'free' file downloads, including music, movies and games, or free access to content, such as adult sites. Malware scams work by installing software on your computer that allows scammers to access your files or watch what you are doing on your computer. Scammers use this information to steal your personal details and commit fraudulent activities. They may make unauthorised purchases on your credit card, or use your identity to open accounts such as banking, telephone or energy services. They might take out loans or carry out other illegal business under your name, or even sell your information to other scammers for further illegal use. Ransom ware Ransom ware is a type of malware that blocks or limits access to your computer or files, and demands a ransom be paid to the scammer for them to be unlocked. Infected computers often display messages to convince you into paying the ransom. Scammers may pretend to be from the police and claim you have committed an illegal activity and must pay a fine, or they may simply demand payment for a 'key' to unlock your computer. If you pay the ransom, there is no guarantee your computer will be unlocked. Warning signs You receive an email or social media message out of the blue that claims to contain links to a topical news item or something ‘interesting’ and you are asked to download software in order to view the material. Music files, games, or access to adult sites are offered free of charge if you download a particular program or agree to a pop-up box. Pop-up boxes start appearing on your computer screen. These may have simple questions or a button that says ‘close’. You notice new icons on your computer screen, or your computer is not as fast as it normally is. You are approached by scammers or become a victim of another scam where your personal or financial details are already known.

Use your security software to run a virus check if you think your computer’s security has been compromised. If you still have doubts, contact your anti-virus software provider or a computer specialist. Keep your office networks, computers, and mobile devices secure. Update your security software, change passwords and back up your data regularly. Store your backups offsite and offline. Stay Smart Online explains how to back-up your data and secure your mobile devices.

Dating and romance scams often take place through online dating websites, but scammers may also use social media or email to make contact. They have even been known to telephone their victims as a first introduction. These scams are also known as ‘cat fishing Scammers contact their victims online and gain their trust by building fake relationships. After they have established trust, scammers ask their victims for money for various travel expenses, fees or other emergency expenses. If you’ll be looking for love online, remain alert for signs that the other party in your relationship may not be who they say they are. Remember, you should never send money to someone you have not met in person Scammers typically create fake online profiles designed to lure you in. They may use a fictional name, or falsely take on the identities of real, trusted people such as military personnel, aid workers or professionals working abroad. Dating and romance scammers will express strong emotions for you in a relatively short period of time, and will suggest you move the relationship away from the website to a more private channel, such as phone, email or instant messaging. They often claim to be from Australia or another western country, but travelling or working overseas. Scammers will go to great lengths to gain your interest and trust, such as showering you with loving words, sharing ‘personal information’ and even sending you gifts. They may take months to build what may feel like the romance of a lifetime and may even pretend to book flights to visit you, but never actually come. Once they have gained your trust and your defenses’ are down, they will ask you (either subtly or directly) for money, gifts or your banking/credit card details. They may also ask you to send pictures or videos of yourself, possibly of an intimate nature. Often the scammer will pretend to need the money for some sort of personal emergency. For example, they may claim to have a severely ill family member who requires immediate medical attention such as an expensive operation, or they may claim financial hardship due to an unfortunate run of bad luck such as a failed business or mugging in the street. The scammer may also claim they want to travel to visit you, but cannot afford it unless you are able to lend them money to cover flights or other travel expenses. Sometimes the scammer will send you valuable items such as laptop computers and mobile phones, and ask you to resend them somewhere. They will invent some reason why they need you to send the goods but this is just a way for them to cover up their criminal activity. Alternatively they may ask you to buy the goods yourself and send them somewhere. You might even be asked to accept money into your bank account and then transfer it to someone else. Sometimes the scammer will tell you about a large amount of money or gold they need to transfer out of their country, and offer you a share of it. They will tell you they need your money to cover administrative fees or taxes. Dating and romance scammers can also pose a risk to your personal safety as they are often part of international criminal networks. Scammers may attempt to lure their victims overseas, putting you in dangerous situations that can have tragic consequences. Regardless of how you are scammed, you could end up losing a lot of money. Online dating and romance scams cheat Australians out of millions every year. The money you send to scammers is almost always impossible to recover and, in addition, you may feel long-lasting emotional betrayal at the hands of someone you thought loved you.

Thieves pose as authentic companies and lure victims into paying fees in anticipation of receiving something of greater value, like a loan, credit card, grant, and investment or inheritance money. The victim sends money to the scammer using a money transfer service, but then receives nothing in return. These loans, credit cards, grants, investments or inheritance sums never actually existed. And once the scammers get the first money they will keep asking for more and more at the ends, they are never heard from again. Protect yourself from fraud: Don’t send money for loan or credit card fees, customs or shipping fees. Don’t send money to someone you haven’t met in person. Be suspicious of businesses without a verified street address. Don’t pay for an item or service with a money transfer to an individual. Always keep your user id and password safe and always change your password regularly Keep your bank details, credit card details secret and don’t share with anyone Neither IMO RAPID TRANSFER nor its staff will request for your Pin, password of your wallet account or email at any point in time Please keep your login details secure at all times and do not disclose by phone call, sms, email or any suspicious website For any reason or been pressured for money, from unknown person kindly report to our customer service desk, for verification Frauddesk@imorapidtransfer.com Always you should check whenever you visit our website for more updates on how scammers operates

Do not open attachments or click on links in emails or social media messages you’ve received from strangers – just press delete. If you want to access footage or information about major or breaking news, use a reliable news source rather than an unknown web link. Be wary of free downloads and website access, such as music, games, movies and adult sites, they may install harmful programs without you knowing. Always keep your computer security up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall. Only buy computer and anti-virus software from a reputable source.