I have become rich by just opening my email. I am obviously blessed with good luck.
In one day I received three emails telling me I had won money: the first, from international payment company PayPal, informed me that someone I had never heard of had paid me $75 000; the second told me the United States Internal Revenue Services owed me money — even though I have never been a US taxpayer — and the third said I had won â,¬550 000 in the Spanish Lottery.
Unfortunately, anything that is too good to be true usually isn’t.
Gilbert Swats of the South African Banking Risk Information Centre says these are phishing emails from people who want your personal banking details. If you make contact, the first thing they request is your bank account number so that they can deposit the money they claim is owing to you.
Not only do they attempt to get hold of your banking details, says Swats, but they can use a link to download spyware on to your computer. Once they have your details, the spyware assists them in finding your online passwords.
These phishing scams come in various forms, from emails claiming you have won the lotto to those purporting to be from eBay informing you that someone has bought your item. What they have in common, though, is that they claim there is money waiting for you if you just divulge your banking details.
Apart from the obvious, which is not to respond and to delete the email, Swats advises having anti-spyware software installed on your computer. This software is available from your bank. You need to set the antiÂÂspyware regularly to check your computer. And remember, money doesn’t grow in emails.