Internet fraud on the increase

2012 saw a 45 per cent increase in the incidence of hacker attacks, virus outbreaks, phishing and piracy.

As we spend more and more time online, internet crime is correspondingly on the increase. Most of all, cyber criminals are targeting our money by trying to wrest confidential information from us such as payment card details. Consequently, the number of online pitfalls is also steadily increasing.

These are the findings of a new report by DK-CERT, which provides information on IT security and warns of threats in Denmark.

Nowhere is safe

“There is nowhere on the internet where you can feel 100 per cent safe,” Shehzad Ahmad, Head of DK-CERT, told DR News. “This means it’s very hard to say exactly where you should be extra vigilant, but any time you have to key in a username and password and credit card details, you should use your common sense.”

General scepticism is therefore very important. For example, your bank or the tax authorities (SKAT) will never ask you to enter your credit card details.

Watch out on Facebook and Twitter

You also need to be alert on Facebook and Twitter, because login data can be sold on.

“A criminal might log into someone else’s Facebook account, then write that he is abroad, has lost his wallet, luggage and telephone and ask whether anyone can lend him some money. And if there’s a friend list that swallows the story, he can make a lot of money,” explained Ahmad.

Ahmad does not believe, however, that the criminals will become clever enough to prevent us making online payments.

“They’ll always be one step ahead of us. We are Tom; they are Jerry. But we’ll always be able to keep them in our sights,” said Ahmad.