Safety On The Doorstep

There are many genuine trades people and sellers who knock at your door offering legitimate services and products. But, there are also many scammers who want to talk you into bad deals or just steal your money.

For many older and vulnerable people, doorstep sellers can be frightening or too convincing.

If you don’t feel safe answering the door to someone you don’t know then don’t. Someone calling unexpectedly has no right to your time or courtesy. It’s your choice to answer or ignore.

The following precautions may help:-

  1. Keep your doors locked even when at home
  2. Have a chain on your front door so you can safely open it just a few inches
  3. Have a spy hole (or electronic eye) fitted in the door so you can who’s knocking
  4. Get a Trading Standards sticker ‘NO COLD CALLERS’

Trading Standards say you should never sign anything on the spot, never agree to allow any work to start right away and remember that you normally have a 14 day cooling-off period during which you can cancel any work and receive a refund of money paid.

They also say that you should never agree to have work done by someone just passing by. If some work is needed, get at least two quotations from reputable traders. Your local Trading Standards Service may operate an ‘approved trader scheme’ or use check-a-trade or similar review website.

Bogus callers may turn up on your doorstep and say that they have come to investigate a water leak or they are lost and need a drink of water. Sometimes they may say they have a child who has lost a ball in your back garden. They are probably trying to trick you to let them into your home so they can steal cash and valuable items. Don’t let them in.

It isn’t rude to ask someone to leave – it is your right.

The presence of Neighbourhood Watches does seem reduce this type of crime. This is largely because people are more aware of possible crimes and do keep an eye out for unexpected visitors to their doors. Also, door-to-door crooks tend to avoid areas where there are any signs of organisation against crime.

Stay Safe.

Do click on the Facebook or Twitter icons on top right to follow Fight Back Ninja.

Fightback Ninja Signature

Stupidest Spam of the Week 110kg ATM Card

This is another 419 scam i.e. the scammer promises a fortune in cash or diamonds or gold etc. and to get it you just have to follow some simple instructions. There is no fortune of course.

In this case, the scammer claims to be Janet L. Yellen of the United States Treasury.   It is true that Mrs Yellen is the genuine United States secretary of the treasury, but the scammer who sent the message is not her.

“This is to inform you that your courier service delivery man carrying your consignment box containing an ATM card valued $10Million dollars is now at the Washington Dulles International Airport”

That is to get my attention, then there is a long story about something called the “West Africa corrupt Government agency” that supposedly has mishandled getting me the money I am owed.

There’s no explanation as to why anybody owes me $10 million.

Then it goes on about the delivery man is carrying a tamper proof metal consignment box that weighs 110 Kg and contains the ATM card worth $10 million for me.

I am supposed to provide instructions for how the delivery man can get from Dulles to the nearest airport to me.   Does he not have a smart phone to look it up and why is he sitting at Dulles airport instead of in an office?

The point of this scam email is to get my confidential information so there’s a list of information I have to provide, starting with my name, which of course the scammer doesn’t know.

The email starts with Dear consignment owner and the sender’s email address shows as United States Department of The Treasury but is actually a Gmail address for the name Barry Dunderbolt14

Sorry Dunderbolt – your scam is pathetic as anyone would realise there are numerous safer and easier ways to give someone money than sending a delivery man with a 110Kg metal box thousands of miles.

To enter your email address and click on the subscribe button on top right to keep up to date with new posts.

Fightback Ninja Signature

Maintain Online Privacy

One of the wonderful things about the Internet is the capacity to share information quickly and with a lot of people.

Conversely, one of the big problems with the Internet is people with malicious internet obtaining your confidential information.  Everyone from the ‘Big Brother’ of Facebook, Google and others watching everything we do to scammers trying to steal from us.

Here are some actions you can consider to protect your online security

  1. Have up to date anti-virus and anti-malware on all of your computer devices
  2. Don’t give out information that you don’t want scammers to have, unless you are sure of the person or website you are giving it to.
  3. Be careful – if something looks too good to be true then it’s likely to be a scam
  4. Never click on a link or open an attachment unless you are sure it is safe
  5. Avoid public WI-FI if you intend to access online banking or anything else that needs to be secure.

Website Browsing

There are a number of things you can do to make your website browsing more private and safer.

  • Use the privacy/incognito mode
  • Block web activity trackers
  • Block your ads
  • Use encrypted messengers
  • Get a VPN
  • Avoid non-https:// websites for input of confidential information
  • Clear your cookies regularly
  • Use secure/encrypted email providers

The  guide at https://thebestvpn.com/online-privacy-guide/ contains a lot more information on what you can do to maintain your online privacy.

Fightback Ninja Signature

PDFs Are Not Safe

We are all used to having to be careful opening certain emails, zipped files,  WORD, EXCEL and other types of files in case they contain some kind of malware – virus, ransomware, Trojan etc.

But most people feel safe opening PDF documents.

However, scammers are using PDFs more and more as attachments in email or malicious downloads on websites.

PDFs can contain javascript programming which can have malicious intent and they can contain links which of course could go to any website.

Microsoft Malware Protection Centre released a list of PDF filenames that are commonly used in malicious emails and websites. Scammers keep making new names of course.

  • pdf_new.pdf
  • audjehtg1.pdf
  • a10pokllt.pdf
  • pricelist.pdf
  • couple_lucky.pdf
  • 56119081.pdf
  • list.pdf
  • holidays.pdf

Q. How can you protect yourself against malicious content?

Most of the PDF exploits use Javascript so if you disable that then a large part of the problem is blocked.

However, common sense goes a long way in protecting you.

  1. Do not open an email or download anything that is sent to you by someone you don’t know
  2. Make sure your email settings are on high protection and your anti-virus and anti-malware programmes are working
  3. If there’s a file on email you really want to open but aren’t sure then save it and then scan it (usually you right mouse click and select scan – depending on which anti-malware solutions you use)

Of course, you should run regular scans of your computer to ensure no malware has been installed.

How to Turn Off Javascript in PDFs

If you use a programme other than ADOBE for opening PDFs then you’ll need to check how to disable Javascript. If you use ADOBE then see below:-

  1. Start Acrobat or ADOBE
  2. Select EDIT then PREFERENCES
  3. Select the Javascript category
  4. Uncheck the Enable Acrobat Javascript option
  5. Save and exit

If you’ve enjoyed this post or found it useful then do share – click on the post title then scroll down to the social media share buttons.

Fightback Ninja Signature