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Beware the Scareware Scam

Thursday, 7 March 2013 at 10:17

Don't be scared into falling into the "Scareware" trap. A new on-line scam is making the rounds, and there have been some recent "Scareware" cases called into police. Perth County OPP report a recent case out of Listowel where a home was called, advising the victim their computer screen had been locked by the RCMP, after they viewed pornography. The resident was told to forward $200 via a money transfer service to have it unlocked. Police say there have been reports of this happening in other areas, where the call comes into the homeowner after a computer receives a pop-up message, warning their computer has been associated with child pornography. It's called "Scareware", and is designed to create shock and anxiety, so the victims respond by sending money quickly. Police advise you not to fall for it. Here are some other tips for avoiding on-line fraud: -Never click on a pop up that claims your computer has a virus -Update your anti-virus software often and scan your computer for viruses regularly -Don't click on links or attachments in e-mails sent to you by someone you don't know -Turn on your browser's pop-up blocking feature -Never download anti-virus software from a pop-up or link sent to you in an e-mail -If you've received a scareware message or if you discover that you have become a victim of a fraud or scam, contact the local police immediately to report the crime. If your credit cards or bank accounts are involved, notify them as soon as you can so they can assist you.

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