Attempted fraud

You may at some time have received an e-mail from a known person who is in desperate need of your (usually financial) help. It is essential that you check by phone whether the e-mail is really from that person and is not a fraud attempt. Requests for money transfers or card details to pay hotel bills are suspicious.

You may also encounter fraudulent phishing text messages. The aim of these is to steal credit card details via a link to a phishing website. Do not click on the link, and delete these messages.

Viseca never sends text messages requesting confirmation or disclosure of personal details and credit card details.

It is quite possible that fraudsters will telephone you in an attempt to obtain your credit card details. They may, for example, claim to work for a software company and to have identified a virus on your PC. To "resolve" the issue, you are asked to provide your credit card details and install a ridiculously expensive program that will repair the damage.

MELANI, the Reporting and Analysis Centre for Information Assurance, warns about such telephone calls. As Microsoft never makes unannounced or unsolicited support calls, the callers are most likely fraudsters whose sole objective is to tamper with the PCs concerned or infect them with malware.

Checklist: what to do in the event of fraudulent support calls

1. Neither Microsoft nor any other software or computer companies make unannounced and unsolicited support calls to report computer problems. End the call straight away.
2. Never call a number that suddenly appears as a pop-up on your screen.
3. Never give any caller access to your computer. If you have given them access, disconnect the device from the Internet as quickly as possible. Remove the installed software immediately (call an expert if necessary).
4. Never give any caller your credit card details.
5. Never give anyone text message codes for payments and don’t confirm any payments via your app that you didn't authorize (or not for that amount).
6. If you have disclosed sensitive data, please contact our blocking service without delay to block the card in question.
7. If you have also provided your VisecaOne login data, please tell our staff.

Scareware refers to software intended to unsettle or scare you. Usually, an offer is made to resolve (often non-existent) computer problems in return for a fee. Alternatively, you may be misled into altering settings on your computer or using a link which causes damage to your computer and which, of course, can only be "fixed" for a charge.

The term malware denotes a whole range of damaging software - from viruses and Trojans to worms. Once the malware has installed itself on your computer, it is very hard, and sometimes impossible, to remove it completely.

To protect against malware, install an anti-virus program or a security suite. Make sure that this program is from a well-known provider.

Data are exchanged when surfing the Internet or on a wireless network. There is an inherent risk that hackers will log into the network. If the protection is inadequate, those hackers may be able to use the Internet connection for illegal activities or even spy on data on your computer.