Latest news with #GMAIL
The Sun
05-08-2025
- The Sun
Gmail account holders need to follow 5 rules to avoid potentially losing thousands of pounds & causing ‘weeks of stress'
GMAIL account holders need to follow five rules to avoid potentially losing thousands of pounds & causing 'weeks of stress'. The summer months are full of ice-cream, outings, staycations and holidays, but it means people are more likely have their guard down. 7 7 IT Security firm FoxTech have warned that some Brits may be at risk of potentially losing thousands of pounds. With the rise of artificial intelligence, scammers are using more realistic ways to catch people into being scammed. The team at the company explained: "Scammers are fully aware that summer is a time when many people naturally relax their guard. "Whether they're caught up in the excitement of booking a last-minute getaway or simply waiting on a steady stream of online orders to arrive. 'Inboxes become crowded with enticing offers and seemingly routine updates, which is precisely what cybercriminals are counting on to slip past our usual caution." They have provided five ways in which you could avoid a terrible summer and have maximum enjoyment of the delights of summer. Double-check before clicking 7 You must always hover over links to see where they really lead. Some links might be phishing emails which aim to steal your data through what looks like an urgent message. It is advised that you should be as cautious as possible of any message that is trying to rush you into taking action. The team at FoxTech advised: "Inboxes become crowded with enticing offers and seemingly routine updates, which is precisely what cybercriminals are counting on to slip past our usual caution. AI tricks to beat scammers as scam texts, calls and emails surge "Taking just a little extra time to examine the links you're clicking on or to verify who has actually sent a message can ultimately prevent what might otherwise turn into weeks of stress, financial loss and disruption." Delivery updates 7 It is advised that you should verify delivery updates directly with any provider. Many users get texts or messages about alleged delivery parcels, but these may be fake. However, instead of clicking the link you should go to the courier's official website itself to check for updates. How to spot a dodgy app Detecting a malicious app before you hit the 'Download' button is easy when you know the signs. Follow this eight-point checklist when you're downloading an app you're unsure about: Check the reviews - be wary of both complaints and uniformly positive reviews by fake accounts. Look out for grammar mistakes - legitimate app developers won't have typos or errors in their app descriptions. Check the number of downloads - avoid apps with only several thousand downloads, as it could be fake. Research the developer - do they have a good reputation? Or, are totally fake? Check the release date - a recent release date paired with a high number of downloads is usually bad news. Review the permission agreement - this agreement gives permission for the app to take bits of your data, and fake apps often ask for additional data that is not necessary. Check the update frequency - an app that is updated too frequently is usually indicative of security vulnerabilities. Check the icon - look closely, and don't be deceived by distorted, lower-quality versions the icons from legitimate apps. All of this information will available in both Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store. Foxtech added: "Scams are evolving rapidly, and what might look like a harmless deal or a routine delivery text could end up draining your bank account or exposing your personal data. "Taking a few extra seconds to verify a message can spare you weeks of stress and financial headaches." Research travel deals 7 Have you ever thought something is too good to be true? Well that's because maybe it is! Scammers like to entice you to click onto harmful links, and one of the ways they do so is through fake travel advert deals. People could find themselves paying hundreds or even thousands of pounds for trips that simply don't exist The team at FoxTech You are advised to check independent reviews of providers and to make sure you confirm website contact details before clicking on anything. Many users are also advised to make sure you are making a booking through an official platform before you pay. The IT firm warned: "People could find themselves paying hundreds or even thousands of pounds for trips that simply don't exist, only to realise they've handed over sensitive personal and payment details to organised cybercriminals." Boarding passes. 7 A nightmare scenario, you board a plane and someone is sitting in your seat. To avoid this, you should never post travel documents online, which includes boarding passes. Make sure to keep your tickets private because the barcode on the ticket may contain personal information. What is phishing? HERE's what you need to know: Phishing is a type of online fraud It's typically an attempt to nab some of your data Phishing generally involves scammers posing as a trustworthy entity For instance, fraudsters could send you an email claiming to be your bank, asking for details Scammers can also set up fake websites that look like real ones, simply to hoodwink you Phishing can take place over email, social media, texts, phone calls and more The best defence against phishing is to be generally sceptical of weblinks and emails, especially if they were unsolicited Multi-factor authentication 7 A second step of security can never hurt! If you use multi-factor authentication, this will add extra protection to your account. Even if your password does get stolen, this extra layer of verification makes things harder for scammers to access your account.
India Today
18-06-2025
- India Today
Gmail unsubscribe scam: What it Is and how to stay safe online
It may look like a simple fix to declutter your inbox—click 'unsubscribe' and stop receiving those endless job alerts, promo offers, or survey invitations. But cybersecurity experts warn that clicking that link might be the beginning of bigger Today breaks down how the so-called Gmail unsubscribe scam works and what you can do to stay IS THE GMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE SCAM?At first glance, the scam looks harmless. You receive an email—maybe a promotional offer, survey invite, or something disguised as an update from a legitimate service. Hidden within is an 'unsubscribe' link. But unlike legitimate unsubscribe buttons, this one doesn't just remove you from a mailing list. Instead, it might redirect you to a phishing website, ask for personal information, or trigger a malware download. According to The Wall Street Journal, TK Keanini of DNSFilter explains that such links help scammers identify 'live' email accounts. Clicking that button tells them your inbox is active, turning you into a potential future DO SCAMMERS USE UNSUBSCRIBE LINKS?Fake 'unsubscribe' buttons in emails can be used by scammers for several harmful reasons:Phishing traps: Clicking the link may take you to a fake website that asks for your login details or personal activity tracking: When you click, scammers know your email is active and may use or sell it for future spam or downloads: Some links trigger the automatic download of harmful software onto your forms: You might be asked to 'confirm' your email or enter login details, which are then reports that around 1 in every 644 clicks on these links leads to a harmful THIS SCAM EXPLOITS INBOX FATIGUEWith hundreds of emails pouring into inboxes daily, users are more likely to click 'unsubscribe' out of habit. The scam plays on this very impulse. While Gmail does a decent job at filtering spam, some dangerous emails can slip through, disguised as brand updates or with most people unaware of the risks, one careless click can open the door to a serious data FLAGS TO WATCH OUT FORCybercriminals are getting smarter, but here are a few signs that an unsubscribe link could be dangerous:The email is from an unknown sender or has strange link asks you to log in or enter no information about the company or contact feel pressured with words like 'urgent', 'final notice', or 'account issue'.advertisementThe unsubscribe button is unusually large or TO STAY SAFE FROM FAKE UNSUBSCRIBE LINKSInstead of clicking links inside emails, follow these expert tips:Use your email provider's built-in unsubscribe option: Gmail, for example, shows a native "Unsubscribe" button at the top of verified marketing suspicious emails as spam: Let your provider filter them out automatically in the interact with unknown senders: If you don't remember signing up for the email, it's safer to ignore or report email masking tools: Apple's 'Hide My Email' or browser extensions can prevent spammers from ever seeing your real your software regularly: Make sure your email client and antivirus software are always up-to-date to guard against evolving unsubscribe button isn't always your friend. Scammers are exploiting this everyday tool to phish, infect, or track unsuspecting users. Cybersecurity today is less about complicated breaches and more about simple tricks—and it all begins with a single staying alert and using smarter email habits, you can protect yourself from falling into these traps. When in doubt, remember: don't click—just report.
The Irish Sun
05-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Warning to all Gmail users over password hack as Google share how long you have to act if you fall for the scam
GMAIL users have been warned to be vigilant after a recent surge in sophisticated scam messages. A torrent of password-stealing attacks have been landing in inboxes - and Google has explained what to do if you receive one. 3 There was a recent 'sophisticated' surge in phishing scams to gmail accounts Credit: Getty 3 Hackers sent convincing messages in an attempt to steal passwords Credit: Getty There has been a particular uptick in phishing-style attacks, where scammers pretend to be legitimate companies and ask you for sensitive details. The tech giant reassured customers that even if you get locked out of your account, you have up to a week to regain access. All users need to do is make sure they have a recovery email address or phone number registered with their account. This will allow them to change answer security questions and verify their identity in order to change their password. READ MORE IN TECH NEWS Google urged all their users to check their accounts and make sure they have the backstop measures in place. It released a public service announcement just weeks after The phishing scam was first reported by Nick Johnson - a developer at the Ethereum crypto platform. He shared a screenshot of an email seeming to come from a legitimate Google address, claiming he'd been served a subpoena and needed to give up access to his account. Most read in Tech A Google spokesperson said: "We're aware of this class of targeted attack from this threat actor and have rolled out protections to shut down this avenue for abuse. "In the meantime, we encourage users to adopt two-factor authentication and passkeys, which provide strong protection against these kinds of phishing campaigns." Horror Android mistake lets crooks clone your bank card in seconds for spending spree – and even silently withdraw cash Johnson reported that when he clicked on the link it took him to a "very convincing 'support portal' page". He continued to follow the process, clicking "Upload additional documents" and "View case". Both of these took him to exact replicas of real Google pages - where he was asked to sign into his account. Johnson explained: "From there, presumably, they harvest your login credentials and use them to compromise your account. 3 Developer Nick Johnson was the first to raise the alarm after noticing the scam in his Gmail inbox Credit: Getty "I haven't gone further to check." He noted that the malicious email even passed various of Google's checks, used to verify it hadn't been altered on its way into the inbox. Google is usually good at flagging suspicious emails, but this one was shown without warning. Johnson added: "It even puts it in the same conversation as other, legitimate security alerts." Google said that it has shut down the mechanism that allowed this method of attack to work, and recently shared guidance on The tech giant reassured users it fixed the weak spot mechanism that allowed the method of attack to work. It also provided guidance on spotting and avoiding scam emails. The company said: "Google will not ask for any of your account credentials — including your password, one-time passwords, confirm push notifications, etc. — and Google will not call you."
The Sun
05-05-2025
- The Sun
Warning to all Gmail users over password hack as Google share how long you have to act if you fall for the scam
GMAIL users have been warned to be vigilant after a recent surge in sophisticated scam messages. A torrent of password-stealing attacks have been landing in inboxes - and Google has explained what to do if you receive one. 3 There has been a particular uptick in phishing-style attacks, where scammers pretend to be legitimate companies and ask you for sensitive details. The tech giant reassured customers that even if you get locked out of your account, you have up to a week to regain access. All users need to do is make sure they have a recovery email address or phone number registered with their account. This will allow them to change answer security questions and verify their identity in order to change their password. Google urged all their users to check their accounts and make sure they have the backstop measures in place. It released a public service announcement just weeks after issuing a "red alert" over an "extremely sophisticated" attack targeting its users. The phishing scam was first reported by Nick Johnson - a developer at the Ethereum crypto platform. He shared a screenshot of an email seeming to come from a legitimate Google address, claiming he'd been served a subpoena and needed to give up access to his account. A Google spokesperson said: "We're aware of this class of targeted attack from this threat actor and have rolled out protections to shut down this avenue for abuse. "In the meantime, we encourage users to adopt two-factor authentication and passkeys, which provide strong protection against these kinds of phishing campaigns." Horror Android mistake lets crooks clone your bank card in seconds for spending spree – and even silently withdraw cash Johnson reported that when he clicked on the link it took him to a "very convincing 'support portal' page". He continued to follow the process, clicking "Upload additional documents" and "View case". Both of these took him to exact replicas of real Google pages - where he was asked to sign into his account. Johnson explained: "From there, presumably, they harvest your login credentials and use them to compromise your account. 3 "I haven't gone further to check." He noted that the malicious email even passed various of Google's checks, used to verify it hadn't been altered on its way into the inbox. Google is usually good at flagging suspicious emails, but this one was shown without warning. Johnson added: "It even puts it in the same conversation as other, legitimate security alerts." Google said that it has shut down the mechanism that allowed this method of attack to work, and recently shared guidance on spotting and avoiding email scams. The tech giant reassured users it fixed the weak spot mechanism that allowed the method of attack to work. It also provided guidance on spotting and avoiding scam emails. The company said: "Google will not ask for any of your account credentials — including your password, one-time passwords, confirm push notifications, etc. — and Google will not call you."
