My Goal:

My goal is to inform students, parents, and educators on the potential internet dangers and to provide tools to safeguard our students while using the Internet.

Spamming and Scamming

As students, parents, and educators we need to be aware as Internet users that we need to yet again protect ourselves from certain dangers that we might perceive as "harmless".  Have you ever received an email from a company offering you a "free cruise", or received an email from a banker saying that "You are the recipient of inheritance money", if you have then you have just received SPAM and SCAM emails. Let's take a look at what each of these are, what you can do to avoid them, and resources you can access to learn more to protect yourself.

What is Spam?
Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems (including most broadcast media, digital delivery systems) to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately.
Courtesy of : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(electronic)

What is a Scam?
A confidence trick or confidence game (also known as a bunko, con, flim flam, gaffle, grift, hustle, scam, scheme, swindle or bamboozle) is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence.
Courtesy of :en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scamming

What you need to know about Spamming and Scamming and how to avoid them
 
Spam is the "junk" email you receive from marketers trying to pitch their product or services to you.  Many of these emails contain information which is deceiving to consumers. I tell all my students IF YOU DON"T KNOW WHO THE EMAIL IS FROM...........DON'T OPEN IT!!! If you do open a Spam message DO NOT click on the links, if you do click on the links it could open up a virus onto your computer or even worse! The Federal Trade Commission treats spam as a very serious offence.  Any spam messages you receive should be forwarded to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.  After investigation the FTC can pursue law enforcement action on businesses and individuals sending out spam messages. 
Below you will see the SPAM-O-METER which is an interactive tool that measures the actual amount of spam on the Internet.  The data for this tool is collected through many databases on the Internet.
Scams are much more assertive than spams.  My rule of thumb...... If it's to good to be true then it more than likely is!! Scammers usually want to get your money!  These scams try to gain your confidence and many times sound very convincing.  These letters or emails are very detailed and ALWAYS want you to do what they are requesting you to do IMMEDIATELY! Below you will see a real example of a SCAM:

FIFA 2010 WORLD CUP LOTTERY
CONGRATULATIONS! ! ! !

Dear Winner,

We are pleased to announce to you as one of the 3 lucky winners in the FIFA 2010 AWARD draw held on March 31ST 2010. All 3 winning addresses were randomly selected from a batch of 5,000,000 international emails. Your email address emerged alongside 2 others as a 3rd category winner in this month's draw.

Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of $2, 800,000, 00 USD (Two Million Eight Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) only.

The following particulars are attached to your lotto payment order: (i) BATCH NUMBER: FIFA-SA/40/UK-0079
(ii) REFERENCE NUMBER: UK231/SA0079
(iii) PIN: 2131

Here are the details required from you:
YOUR FULL NAME:……………………….
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE:………………..
OCCUPATION:……………………………..
AGE:…………………………………………
MOBILE NUMBER:………………………...
EMAIL: ………………………………………

Please contact the under listed claims officer as soon as possible with your details for the immediate release of your winnings:
INTERNATIONAL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT MANAGER
Contact Person: Name: Chris D. Benjamin
Tel: +44 703 180 0860 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +44 703 180 0860      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax: + 44 884 774 7508
Email: intlclaims2010@live.co.uk

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
At your disposal, I remain.
Yours in service,

Once again on behalf of all our FIFA 2010 TEAM,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!


N.B:
1. All claims are nullified after 10 working days from today.
2. Your Ref number must be in all your mails with the claims officer.
3. Do inform the claims officer of any change of names or addresses.
4. All winners under the 5. Please contact your claims agent by fax or email (Mrs. Deborah Gray).FIFA 2010 ENGLAND.
Note: The "winning notification" is distributed in the form of an attached PDF document as illustrated in the following screenshot:
FIFA World Cup Lottery Scam
Courtesy of : http://www.hoax-slayer.com/fifa-world-cup-lottery-scam.shtml,

How to Protect Yourself from Spammers and Scammers

  1. If you don't know the sender DON'T OPEN the email
  2. Watch out for emails that request personal information
  3. Be careful with emails that look like they are sent from PayPal, Facebook, Ebay etc.
  4. Watch for typos or spelling mistakes
  5. Watch for "Red Flag Statements" such as "You have won" or "Verify your Account" etc
To read more about these tips please go to All Spammed Up where the above information was obtained

What could happen if you are a victim of Spamming and Scamming??

Spamming and Scamming victims could encounter these problems according to Get Safe Online 

Risks to your Family:
  • Your family is exposed to porn in emails or a hijacked web browser.
  • Your children can be targeted by paedophiles using email or instant messaging.
  • Your dial-up connection is hijacked and you get an enormous phone bill from dialling premium rate numbers to connect to the Internet.The good news is that criminals can only use a few basic techniques to find a backdoor into your computer and into your private information: viruses, spyware, hacking, spam email or fraudulent websites. This means that they can be stopped with a few basic defences and a bit of commonsense.
Computer Problems:
  • Your computer becomes so slow that it becomes unusable
  • Criminals use your computer to send other people viruses or spam without your knowledge.
  • A virus infects your computer and sends spam emails by the thousand and, as a result, your legitimate emails get blacklisted by spam filters.
Financial Problems:

  • Scams that cost you money but don’t deliver the goods you ordered.
  • Your credit rating is ruined and it takes months to straighten it out.
  • Criminals take out loans and credit cards using your name and address
Invasion of Privacy:
  • Criminals take complete control of your computer.
  • Sensitive information, perhaps personal letters or medical information, stored on your computer is read by strangers.
  • Criminals may store illegal or illicit material on your home computer.
What you can do if you have been targeted:
If you are targeted by a scammer please visit these websites:
http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/
http://www.ic3.gov/

This chart below shows the percents of the total complaint received by the IC3 in 2008:



Free/inexpensive software for Spamming and Identity Protection:
Here are a list of links that provide free software to protect your home/work computers.  Although my personal favorite is #1, I have this on all my computers and in my opinion is better than Norton anti-virus!
  4. P.C. Cop For protecting you Identity while online
Resources available to you concerning Spamming and Scamming:There are MANY resources available online to "check up" on possible scams.  The most helpful sites that I have found are:

You can get scam alerts directly from the FBI just by signing up at:




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