The police’s cyber-crime unit has warned consumers to be extra vigilant following a spike in misleading spoof emails aimed at acquiring their personal data.
It said that it had received a large number of complaints from companies whose email address had been used to send Spoof messages (spoofing is the creation of email messages with a forged sender address). These messages are in English and usually have an attachment. Recipients of Spoof messages are given the impression that the message are genuine.
Police said Spoof type messages are misleading and aim to trick users in various ways, such as to access their personal info and passwords for internet accounts, including bank accounts. Spoof fraudsters may even request money.
In cases where there is an attachment this may contain a virus which can lock the computer or device on which it is activated or give remote control access to hackers to monitor and steal electronic data.
Police urged the public not to trust or respond to such emails, particularly when they are asked for personal data and passwords, and to delete them immediately without opening them.
