SMARTPHONE owners have been warned by phone company AT&T to beware of scams that can gain access to their bank accounts.
In a blog post, telephone company AT&T explains the risks of getting scammed and what you can do if it happens to you.
One of the most common types of scams is phishing, which aims to steal your financial information.
In a phishing attack, attackers trick people into revealing sensitive information, often by impersonating someone else.
In some cases, criminals attempt to distribute malicious software, such as ransomware.
Phishing attacks are carried out in several ways, such as emails, text messages or malicious websites.
“The bad guys have many compelling ways to trick you,” AT&T noted, but normally just reading an email, text, or answering a call isn’t enough for them to steal your information.
However, these actions “may open you up to further scam attempts because now they know you exist,” AT&T warned,
“You may want to be even more diligent in looking for possible scam messages and calls.
TRAFFIC SIGNS
To help users learn more, AT&T shared the warning signs of a scam:
- Your device starts acting differently, maybe slower than usual
- Pop-ups and unknown apps or icons may appear on your device or web browser.
- Your accounts may show activities in which you have not participated
ACT QUICKLY
And if you think you’ve been scammed or your device has been infected with malware, here are some steps you can take:
- If you clicked on a suspicious link, you should close your browser quickly to prevent the full installation of malware.
- Hang up the phone as soon as you realize you’re talking to a scammer.
- If you have shared online account credentials, change your username and password immediately.
- If you’ve shared banking information, contact your bank and block your cards as soon as possible.
- You can also run a virus scan on your computer to remove any malware.
