Stay Safe Online – dont trust anyone else with your data
All your IT in one place, computer repair, IT support, website design, domain registration, website hosting, videos, email, data storage, and cyber security. We fix both PCs and Macs.
Don’t trust anyone else with your data – protect it by using secure passwords and change passwords for very sensitive information frequently. And don’t store your data all in one place – keep back-ups – the easiest way t do this is to use cloud storage – the files are then stored on your computer – but also stored remotely ‘on the cloud’ so you can retrieve them should something happen to your computer. It also means that you can access your files remotely from multiple devices – wherever you are in the world. Microsoft 365 includes 5 Gb of storage space free. Ring us for more details 07375 843213.
Current Scams: BT is being impersonated by scammers in an email that asks you to change your direct debit details. It’s very convincing as it includes BT’s branding, logo and BT’s customer service phone number with links to BT’s privacy policy and T&Cs – but other links take you to a fake website.
To get your attention the email begins with ‘Avoid missing payments’. It then goes on: ‘We wanted to let you know that your Direct Debit with us is no longer active. This means you don’t currently have an automatic payment method set up to deal with your bills.’ Underneath this statement there’s a link that directs you to a fake website to set up a new direct debit – this is where your personal and financial details will be taken, so don’t click on this. Extra pressure is added with the threat of being ‘charged a late payment fee’ if you don’t click on the link.
How to spot this is a fake email: Check the account number which almost certainly does not belong to you; check the email of the sender ‘info@’ doesn’t sound like it’s come from bt.com. The email also includes some pecular wording towards the end – it says: ‘Next bill due soon? Please pay another way. Just to note, if your next bill is due before the new Direct Debit is set up, you’ll need to pay using the My Vodafone app or by calling 56677 free from your Vodafone mobile.’ An email claiming to be from BT with details of how to pay your bill via Vodafone is a clear giveaway!
If in doubt, phone BT from the customer number on your bill – or their website.
Co-op Bank have been emailing customers to warn them about fake emails asking people to click on a link to log into their account to verify their details. A bank would never ask you to do this. Co-op Bank always address customers by their first name with the second part of your postcode at the top of the email.
Sign up for Which? Scam alerts: https://campaigns.which.co.uk/scam-alert-service/
Find details of recent scams here: www.actionfraud.police.uk and on our Facebook page:
Rainford-it-stay safe online and on our blog on our website.
Rainford-IT are part of Strawberry Fields – Nominet Channel partners and Cisco network partners. We register and renew domain names. We manage our own servers, email, IT and website hosting. We can fix most hardware – Macs as well as Windows – desktops and laptops. It’s a family business and we provide a personal service.
www.rainford-it.co.uk 01948 840102
Published in the July edition of the Whitchurch Gossip