FBI Warns About Scareware, Targets Distributors

Do you remember when I wrote this blog about the scareware my husband stumbled upon? Well, I was thinking about that recently when the FBI sent out this update about 12 countries working together to take down two scareware crime rings. Would you believe that the scam that was initially noticed cost victims $72 million??? Yikes! No wonder these scams are so prevalent and are now starting to target Mac users.

I thought this might be a good time to revisit the subject and give you some tips, links with more information and reminders so you can hopefully spot a scam before it hits your computer screen.

1. McAfee Labs has prepared advisories for combating fake-alert families. These contain screen shots that may help you recognize these scams.

– Threat Advisory: Combating FakeAlerts

– Threat Advisory: FakeAlert System Defender

2. Here is the advice given by the FBI to protect yourself from these scams:

How to spot scareware on your own computer:

1.  Scareware pop-ups may look like actual warnings from your system, but upon closer inspection, some elements aren’t fully functional. For instance, to appear authentic, you may see a list of reputable icons—like software companies or security publications—but you can’t click through to go to those actual sites.

2.  Scareware pop-ups are hard to close, even after clicking on the “Close” or “X” button.

3.  Fake antivirus products are designed to appear legitimate, with names such as Virus Shield, Antivirus, or VirusRemover.  

And to avoid being victimized, make sure your computer is using legitimate, up-to-date antivirus software, which can help detect and remove fraudulent scareware products.

3. Some of my tips.

1.  Always have a legitimate copy of a comprehensive security software installed on your device

2.  Make sure that software is updated automatically

3.  Exercise caution when you click on links. Using software such as SiteAdvisor (www.siteadvisor.com) can help because it distinguishes between safe and risky websites

4.  ALWAYS exercise caution while clicking links in emails that look suspicious, even If they appear to come from a known contact

5.  Hover your mouse over links without clicking and look in lower left hand corner of the window to see the actual link address – avoid suspicious web addresses that contain misspelled words

6.  Hit alt + F4 to close the pop ups.

7.  If you think you clicked on a bad link, update your security software and run a scan.

8.  For those of you who are really tech savvy and want to learn more then check out Dave Marcus’s recent blog

With a bit of knowledge and careful surfing, you can avoid these scams. Stay safe out there my friends!

Tracy

@McAfeeCyberMom on Twitter

Tags: Fake Anti Virus Scams, fake anti-virus software, scareware

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