Alert Service
This is a free service for Australian internet users, to explain recent online threats and how they can be managed. Sign up to the service.
Stay Smart Online Alerts provide easy to understand online safety and security information and solutions to help protect internet users at home, at work and on mobile devices. The resource also informs users about the latest threats and vulnerabilities within an Australian context, and how to address any risks to their devices or computer networks.
This article contains the latest news about spam from the Stay Smart Online website published by the Australian Government. For up-to-date information, or more, you are advised to visit the site yourself at http://alerts.staysmartonline.gov.au/ All alerts are published at https://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/alert-service.
You can receive alerts a number of ways – by subscribing to the free email alert service; liking our Facebook page; accessing the alerts RSS feed; or by adding this page to the bookmarks bar on your web browser.
On the webpage, Stay Smart lists scams as they become aware of them and offer advice about how to deal with the consequences if you have succombed to a scam.
Protect Yourself
The website at https://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/protect-yourself provides a lot of information about what you can, and should, do to protect yourself. This advice is presented device by device.
If, by chance, things do get the better of you, or your device, the site also offers very good clear advice about what to do to recover from the scam. It is well-worth becoming familiar with what is advised before you actually need it. See https://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/protect-yourself/recover-when-things-go-wrong
There are many different types of scams that can cause you damage or annoyance. Detailed advice is on the Stay Smart Online site. They include:
- Threat-based impersonation scams
- Typically, scammers pretend to be from a government agency or well-known company who threaten you into handing over your money or personal informat
- Cryptomining
- Is it illegal? Is it dodgy? The answer might surprise you.
- Hacking
- How hacking works and how you can stay safe.
- Identity theft
- Identity theft refers to stealing another person’s name or other personal information, usually for financial gain.
- Malware
- Use the site guidance to learn about malware and how to protect yourself.
- Phishing
- Use the site guidance to learn about how to protect yourself from phishing.
- Ransomware
- Use the site guidance to learn about how to protect yourself from ransomware.
- Restoring your data
- What happens if you are the victim of malware like ransomware? How should you respond?
- Scams
- Online scams cost Australians millions of dollars each year and anyone can be targeted.
- Suspicious messaging
- Be suspicious of emails from people or businesses you don't know, particularly if they promise you money, good health or a solution to all your problems.
- Technical support scams
- Technical support scams (also known as ‘remote access’ scams) play on people’s fears to get access to their computers and to steal their money.