MEDIA RELEASE

McAfee warns: Watch out for online scams

McAfee joins forces with Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce and the Internet Industry Association to stop phishing scams netting victims

Auckland, New Zealand,– 21 March 2007 – New Zealand and Australian internet users are under assault by online scammers and cyber criminals who are using blended or multifaceted attacks—which combine several crimeware techniques—to steal money, identities and hijack PCs.

To combat fraud and scams targeted at consumers, McAfee is supporting the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce’s March campaign designed to spread the strong message: ‘SCAMS TARGET YOU! Protect Yourself.’

"We are delighted that McAfee has once again committed its support to the empowerment of internet users. Protecting your computer is part of the fight against online scams, something we must all be on guard against," said Peter Coroneos, Chief Executive, Internet Industry Association.

Monica Kelly, Director of McAfee’s Consumer Division, says, “Cyber prowlers frequently build fraudulent web sites that closely mimic legitimate banking and other commercial sites. Internet users can easily get tricked into turning over their online account names, passwords, social security numbers, and other personal information.

“Identity theft is a serious crime. We’re proud to support the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce to heighten awareness among everyday internet users about how they can avoid online scams. It’s important this message gets through to people who are still taking unnecessary risks.”

“Research McAfee conducted recently in Australia on attitudes towards online security revealed an alarming complacency among consumers protecting themselves. While many people understand that scams exist, a significant proportion seems to think they won’t be affected. The reality is, scammers target everyone and if you’re not properly protected, you could end up worse off,” said Kelly.

McAfee and the Taskforce are promoting four key areas over the month-long campaign to help people understand how they can stay protected from scammers. These include:

Money
• Never respond to an email asking you for your PINs or passwords.
• Never send money to someone you don’t know or trust.
• Only invest with licensed financial services providers.

Phone
• Be suspicious of unexpected calls and text messages.
• Hang up. Or text ‘STOP’ to unwanted messages.
• Don’t give out your number to just anyone.

Computer
• Keep your protection software up to date.
• Don’t respond in any way to unsolicited emails.
• If in doubt, delete.

Identity
• Never give out your personal information to someone you don’t know or trust.
• Don’t just bin it—destroy it (old bills, records or expired cards).
• Check your credit report at least once a year.

“Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit and ruin your good name. However, identity thieves can be deterred by safeguarding information. Remember the golden rule: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!” concluded Kelly.

McAfee offers on www.mcafeepartner.com/esecurity a range of easy to download and use solutions to help people stay protected from scammers and cyber criminals that target computers and mobile phones. This includes McAfee SiteAdvisor, a free web safety tool that warns internet users about adware, spam and online scams that may reside on a website through a user friendly, colour-coded rating scheme. For more information about McAfee SiteAdvisor, please visit www.siteadvisor.com.

About McAfee, Inc.
McAfee Inc., the leading dedicated security technology company, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that secure systems and networks around the world. With its unmatched security expertise and commitment to innovation, McAfee empowers home users, businesses, the public sector, and service providers with the ability to block attacks, prevent disruptions, and continuously track and improve their security.
http://www.mcafee.com.au.

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