How to Report Fraud

What is malware?

• To put it simply malware is any piece of software that is written with the intent of accessing your computer. 
• Malware can infect your computer without your knowledge usually through attachments on emails or links contained in emails or social media sites.

Types of malware

• Spyware
  This is designed to spy on you. Spyware will hide in the background and will record what you do online with the aim of collecting your passwords, credit card details, surfing habits and more.
• Trojan
  A Trojan will disguise itself as legitimate software or will be hidden within legitimate software that has been tampered with. A Trojan will allow other types of malware access to your computer by allowing them through your security.
• Virus
  A virus will attach itself to a file and if it is not found and erased it will spread throughout your system and delete or corrupt your files.

How do I remove malware?

• Using antivirus software and ensuring it is kept up to date is the main way of preventing malware from infecting your system. There are many different types of antivirus software available some or free and others have to be purchased. It is important that you select the most appropriate antivirus software for your needs.
• In addition to using antivirus software it is also important that you take steps to prevent malware from infecting your computer by not open any attachments or click on links from suspicious emails.

A fraudster will try to gather as much personal information about you as they can and they will use this to target your finances. They will attempt to get this information by posing as a genuine caller from a company and trick you into providing your personal information and financial details. You should exercise caution before providing any of your personal information in response to an email or telephone call without verifying the request is authentic. Never provide personal details if you are unsure.

Phishing

• Phishing is one method used by fraudsters to try and access your personal information. This method involves sending emails that look like they have come from genuine companies which will include a link or attachment redirecting you to a website where you will be asked to input information such as your name, date of birth, password or internet banking details.
• It is important to note that Progressive Building Society will never ask you disclose any of your personal information by email.
• If you think you have received a phishing email, do not:
  – reply to it;
  – click on the links or attachments;
  – disclose your personal information, including your internet banking details;
  – act on any instructions to transfer money;
• These emails should be deleted.

Vishing

• Vishing is similar to phishing except it involves deception by telephone instead of email. A fraudster will phone you and will advise they are calling from a legitimate company. They will start to ask you questions and try to get you to divulge your personal information to them.
• If you are suspicious about a caller you should contact the company they claim to be phoning from. Do not use the contact details they provide, instead look up the number yourself. Always use a different phone to the one they contacted you on or if this is not possible wait for a short period before using the phone again. This is because fraudsters can stay on the line even after you believe you have ended the call.

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn create security risks and you should by cautious when using them. These sites promote personal connections and communications and require you to provide a certain amount of personal information. The more information you make available, the easier it becomes for others to take advantage of your identity. In some cases, criminals could fraudulently exploit this to obtain products and services in your name.

In this type of fraud a fraudster will send a text message to create a sense of urgency. For example, you may receive a message saying there is a problem with your bank account and ask you to call the number shown in the text. If you were to ring this number you will be speaking to the fraudster who will attempt to trick you into giving away your personal information. You should always refer to the bank’s webpage to confirm the correct contact number and never ring a number provided in a text message.

Authorised push payment fraud happens when fraudsters deceive consumers or individuals at a business to send them a payment under false pretences to a bank account controlled by the fraudster. As payments made using real-time payment schemes are irrevocable, the victims cannot reverse a payment once they realise they have been conned.

Take Five

• Take Five is a national awareness campaign led by FFA UK. The campaign urges you to stop and consider whether a situation is genuine and to stop and think if what you’re being told really makes sense. Find out more from Take Five.

Free WiFi

• Do not use public WiFi to access private information unless you are using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or a secure webpage.

Keep your computer safe

• Keep you computer's antivirus software up to date and password protected. Do not allow anyone you don’t know access to your computer, especially if they want to access the computer remotely.

Online banking details

• Never divulge your online banking details to anyone, even a member of staff from Progressive.
• Remember, Progressive Building Society will never contact you by email or telephone to ask you for confirmation of these details.

Unsolicited emails

• Do not click on any links or attachments from emails that have not come from a trusted source. Look out for emails with bad grammar or advising something has gone wrong with your account and you need to provide information to correct it.