Scams, spam and phishing
Scams are ways of obtaining information or money through false means. According to the Scamwatch website, scams target people of all backgrounds and succeed for two reasons. Firstly, a scam looks like the real thing and secondly, it appears to meet a need, offering quick cash, asking for a response to a compassionate issue, or making people feel special, for example. ‘Congratulations you are one of the lucky few chosen…’
Spam is an unsolicited commercial electronic message. This includes email, instant messaging, SMS and MMS received without consent, usually advertising a product or service. Spam can waste time and lead to viruses. Although the most common place to find spam is in an email, it can also appear in online forums, instant messaging chats, newsgroups and blogs.
Phishing is the use of email or SMS to encourage individuals to reveal financial details like credit card numbers, account names and passwords or other personal information. Phishing messages can look like genuine messages from a real bank, telecommunications provider, online retailer or credit card company. Often the message will contain an urgent ‘call to action’, such as claims that the bank account will be closed or compromised if action is not taken. Phishing is usually sent by email from falsified email addresses, but is increasingly being sent to mobile telephones and VoIP telephone services.
Tips for managing scams, spam and phishing (PDF 98KB)