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 How to Avoid Spam Scams:
  • Protect your personal information. Share credit card or other personal information only when you're buying from a company you know and trust.
  • Know who you're dealing with. Don't do business with any company that won't provide its name, street address, and telephone number.
  • Take your time. Resist any urge to 'act now' despite the offer and the terms. Once you turn over your money, you may never get it back.
  • Read the small print. Get all promises in writing and review them carefully before you make a payment or sign a contract.
  • Never pay for a 'free' gift. Disregard any offer that asks you to pay for a gift or prize. If it's free or a gift, you shouldn't have to pay for it - free means free.
  • Use your Emails protection facilities.Many email providers will try to help you detect rouge emails, use this to your advantage!

     

A Few Examples

 

An Email may claim to be from a business or organisation you may deal with in the past. The message may ask you to 'update', 'validate', or 'confirm' your account information. this is the case, then it likely that the message will send you to a fake website asking for your personal information.
Dont be put at ease if the website looks very professional, they are designed to make you believe that they are genuine!
Recently, emails have been sent apparently containing 'information' about the protests to achieve democracy in Burma . Cunningly, this Email asks you to download a word document which consequently allows hackers to access your computer.
Many of you will receive chain mail. Often emails will give you a warning about something or describe a tragic story and then ask you to forward the email to all of your contacts in order to show your support or sympathy.
Be careful however, this spam message may just be a front for that person to collect lots of email addresses.
 
Its not all bad news though. If you follow the above tips and be cautious when reading spam emails you should be able to spot dodgy promotions in email offers. If you ever have doubts about an Emails content or sender, just hit the delete key.
 
 
 
 

So Remember
  1. Never respond to email messages that ask for your personal or financial information
  2. Don't click on or copy & paste links in a message that you are unsure about
  3. If an offer looks too good to be true, then it probably is!
  4. If in doubt, hit the delete key

If you receive an email which you believe is a scam, please forward to scams@oft.gsi.gov.uk.