Hop into Easter by Avoiding the Scammers
Hop into Easter by Avoiding the Scammers
AVG’s tips to help you spend
happy time with your family over Easter, rather than
removing malware from your online devices
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – 17 April 2014 – While most of us are thinking about chocolate at this time of year, others are thinking of how to sugarcoat online scams to catch the unwary. Cybercriminals like to take full advantage of seasonal holidays – as seen at Christmas and Valentine’s Day - and Easter is another lucrative opportunity in their busy calendar.
Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG Technologies, the online security company for devices, data and people, warns: “While you’re relaxing away from work, Easter provides a prime time for cybercrims to get in under your defences. As you nibble on a hot cross bun and sift through your backlog of emails or surf the web, don’t be taken in by the highly sophisticated, legitimate looking scams that will pop up over the coming days.”
To help you have an EGGstremely safe and EGGcellent break, McKinnon advises there are three Easter-themed scams to watch out for:
1. Scam holiday and accommodation
offers
Many families use Easter as the last long
break before the cold of winter. This is where you can fall
victim to scam holiday and accommodation schemes.
Tip:
Only use reputable online companies to
book your holidays. Confirm your accommodation with your
destination before you pay. If you receive unsolicited calls
or emails with ‘amazing’ deals, don’t just hand over
your credit card details before researching whether they are
‘too good to be true’.
2. Charity
scams
Some reputable charities use Easter as one
of their main door-knock and fundraising campaign times.
Sadly, fraudsters and cybercriminals piggyback on these by
misrepresenting who or what they are collecting for.
Tip:
Always ask to see valid identification
from anyone knocking on your door and purporting to be a
charity collector. Also beware of charity requests on Facebook® and other social media during Easter.
If in doubt, don’t pay the money to the collector or click
dodgy links on social media; make a donation directly to the
charity.
3. Easter e-mail
attachments
Keep an eye on your inbox for e-mail
attachments that look like they’re from a ‘friend’
sending you a cute Easter character doing something
entertaining. If you click on a link or open a maliciously
crafted file – even something as innocent looking as a
Microsoft Word or PDF Document - you could open your device
to malware. Even if the e-mail attachment is from a real
friend, their computer might be infected too.
Tip:
Unknown e-mail attachments aren’t worth
the risk, so just don’t open them. Stay alert this Easter
and keep your operating system, Internet Security, and all other software up to date, and avoid being left hopping mad!
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About AVG Technologies
AU/NZ — www.avg.co.nz
Based in Melbourne, AVG
Technologies AU (a subsidiary of AVG Technologies) sells and
distributes the AVG range of Internet and mobile security
products in Australia, New Zealand and the South
Pacific.
About AVG
Technologies
AVG is the online security company
for devices, data and people. AVG’s mission is to
simplify, optimize and secure the Internet experience,
providing peace of mind in a connected world. By choosing
AVG’s software and services, users become part of a
trusted global community that benefits from inherent network
effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its
user base to 177 million active users as of December 31,
2013 and offers a protection, performance and privacy
products and services suite to consumers and small
businesses including Internet security, performance
optimization, mobile security, online backup, identity
protection and family safety software.
AVG Media Contacts:
Michael McKinnon
AVG 03 9581 0845 mmckinnon@avg.com.au
Magdalen Ford PR
Partners 09 352 9518 magdalen@prpartners.co.nz
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