Yettel’s nationally representative survey shows that the number of people who plan to buy Christmas presents ‘exclusively’ or ‘mostly online’ is growing slowly but steadily each year. This year, four out of ten will do so. 55% of online shoppers choose this method to save time, 46% of them as the only way to get the product or gift they want, and almost half want to avoid crowds by shopping online. 45% of online shoppers use the internet for its convenience and one in three online shoppers are attracted by the lower prices it offers. In addition to the many benefits of online ordering and delivery by post, the increased number of transactions also opens up more opportunities for cyber-attacks and online fraud. It’s important that shoppers are aware and careful when they click, especially at the end of the year when their attention is more divided than usual.
The most common forms of online fraud to look out are:
- Fraudulent text messages about package arrivals or prizes – fake links are used to trick victims into giving their details or asking for small amounts of money as a “processing fee”.
- Fake online shops – websites that look like big brand websites, but are run by fraudsters, where once you order and pay, you never receive the goods or see the money you have paid. To make matters worse, the fraudsters also obtain bank card details, giving them further opportunities for abuse.
- Scams using social media or online advertising – Products advertised with incredible promotions, often with no real service behind them.
- Phishing emails – messages disguised as notifications from banks, telecoms or utility companies, used by fraudsters to obtain sensitive information.
- Telephone scams – calls in which the ‘operator’ requests access to the customer’s bank card or personal details.
How can you protect yourself from online threats?
Awareness and caution are key. Even if you are expecting a package, read delivery notifications carefully to identify fraudulent messages. In addition to awareness, it’s also worth using the protection technology available. Yettel’s NetPajzs solution focuses specifically on online security and provides effective protection against phishing attacks for subscribers using the mobile operator’s network. What’s more, the service is free for the first month and then offers users active protection on the Yettel network for the price of a coffee a month.
Don’t let the festive spirit be spoilt – stay alert and secure.
More information: yettel.hu/otthonnet
Two examples of the many successfully detected fraud attempts from the recent past “The Miskolc Police Department has launched an investigation into a case of fraud in which the identity of the suspect remains unknown. On 14 November, a fraudster sent a fraudulent e-mail in the name of a bank to a local company, asking them to change their online banking password. The letter looked exactly as if it had come from the bank handling their finances. The company representative complied with the request, and the fraudster obtained the new Netbank access code, which he used to transfer almost HUF 7 million to an unknown account. The managing director of the company realised that he had fallen victim of a fraud and immediately reported the case to the police and his bank, and the transfer of almost HUF 4 million to a private account was stopped. The investigation is still ongoing.” “A resident of Vas county received a text message apparently from her mobile phone operator. Thinking she could redeem her accumulated points, she clicked on the link to a website. There she gave all her bank card details and her name. The next day, she received a message in the bank’s app informing her that several attempts had been made to make purchases with her card. On one occasion, the fraudsters succeeded in using the victim’s card details abroad. In this case, the victim was lucky because her bank noticed the suspicious transactions and blocked her card.” |