Stay Alert: How the latest Internet scams may impact you

If you suspect you have received a fraudulent email from KBT Ltd, or any of its subsidiary companies www.paintsprays.co.uk do not reply to it, we never instruct any companies or any persons to collect any financial information on our behalf via email, telephone, fax or any other method.

Information on internet scams and fraud..

What is Phishing?

Phishing is the illegal attempt to mislead consumers into providing personal or financial information, including account numbers, passwords and Social Security numbers, via email or through fraudulent Web sites.

The most frequent phishing attacks occur through email disguised to appear as though it came from a reputable financial institution or company.

Most phishing attempts urge you to update or validate your account information, typically through a link in an email directing you to a fake Web site that appears to be legitimate.

How to spot a phishing attack

There are many phishing attacks active on the Internet. Here are a few of their lines and lures:
 

• An email contains an “urgent” or “shocking” tone requesting your immediate action on an account-related matter. Phishers frequently succeed by getting consumers to act quickly without thinking.
• An email is sent from a user falsely claiming to be a legitimate company with an attachment. An unsolicited email attachment more than likely contains a virus. Do not open it.
• A pop-up window appears from a user falsely claiming to be a legitimate company’s Web site asking for personal information.

Protect your identity online

• Do not provide your personal or financial information in response to an email request or after clicking on a link from an email. Legitimate companies do not ask for this type of information through an email communication, no matter how official the email may look.
• Do not enter your personal information into a form within an email message or a pop-up. Email messages and pop-ups are not secure. It is never safe to enter your personal information in a form unless it is on a secure web site.
• Do not open an email from a sender you do not recognize that contains an attachment. A legitimate financial institution would not deliver unsolicited attachments. Delete the email with the attachment immediately.
• Check that you are interacting with a secure Web site. Before you submit personal or financial information on a Web site:
  • Look for the locked padlock or key icon at the bottom of your browser or
  • Make sure the web site address begins with "https://" instead of "http://". The "s" indicates that the site is secure.

The absence of either of these items will indicate that the site is not secure. If you are unsure of the validity of the email, contact the institution directly—not via any links in the email.

• Keep your browser software up-to-date with security updates. To adequately protect your computer, make sure you have current anti-virus and firewall software installed to help protect your personal information.
• Review your account statement carefully. Verify that all transactions are authorized and report any discrepancies immediately.