Phishing pop-up: what now?
Fraudsters have various ways they try to trick you into giving them your details. Ever more frequently they are doing this via pop-ups, which appear to be from well-known companies, such as BASE. Pop-ups like these appear suddenly when you browse to a popular website. They may announce that you have won a contest and that you are eligible for a free smartphone, for example. They say all you have to do is provide your details or complete a brief survey. Don't ever fall for this!
How can you recognize such a pop-up?
Naturally these phishing pop-ups don't all look the same, but they often contain elements which should tip you off. The fraudsters ...
- use the name of a familiar company;
- say that you have won (or can win) something;
- and ask you to click a link or fill in information.
A few examples ...
What should you do if you encounter such a pop-up?
- Never just casually click a link in a pop-up! Tip: Are you uncertain whether the contest is real? Then look on the official website of the supposed organizer.
- Report it to verdacht@safeonweb.be. Provide more information about the content of the pop-up (preferably with a screenshot) and the website you saw it on. Safe On Web can then investigate further.
- Also report it to abuse@telenetgroup.be. We cannot take any legal action, but we will do all we can to block the pop-ups. To do this, send us a screenshot (or all the info in the pop-up) and the website you saw it on. Please also let us know which browser and operating system (and version) you were using.
- Did you enter your bank details? Then phone Card Stop immediately to block your bank card and file a report with the police. You should also contact your bank to warn them and check that nothing has disappeared from your account.
