19 October 2009 | Author: D. Warburton Search Copywriter

43 million internet users fall victim to 'scareware' scams

Symantec reports that 43 million internet users have had their details stolen by harmful "scareware" scams within the last 12 months. The internet security provider has identified 250 varieties of scareware currently operating, which can earn criminals more than £750,000 each year.

BBC News reports that these scams are difficult to investigate, as they initially deal with comparatively small sums of money, with the long-term aim of obtaining control over a user's financial information, identity and machine operations, including access to personal documents.

Scareware typically targets users through convincing pop-up ads on websites, which are designed to resemble those of legitimate companies and which warn users that their internet security has been compromised. If users follow the link and download the harmful software to their machines, they may even be required to pay up front to the value of £60 for the service.

Symantec's Con Mallon explained the long-term goals of scareware sellers in obtaining users' personal information, stating: "[They] could hold your computer to ransom where they will stop your computer working or lock up some of your personal information, your photographs or some of your Word documents.

"They will extort money from you at that point. They will ask you to pay some additional money and they will then release your machine back to you."

As scareware sellers are difficult to target, the only effective protection for users is to ensure that their machines are protected by legitimate security software - in addition to a dash of common sense.

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