Safe surfing: beware of pop-up windows

Anyone travelling on the World Wide Web is always at risk of falling for one of the many scams offered by Internet criminals. The best way to protect yourself is to be aware of the danger, recognise the different methods used by fraudsters and act with caution.

One increasingly popular scam is to contact the potential victim via a pop-up window. Psychologically, this is not unsophisticated. Instead of contacting you directly and personally with a phone call or email, this method aims to get you to take action yourself. This gives you a feeling of control and may make you less cautious.

Pop-ups are actually nothing unusual. You have probably often noticed that a small window containing a message pops up at the bottom of your screen. This could be a request to take part in a survey, accept or reject cookies or something similar. 

About warnings in the pop-up window for contact

However, if you receive an alarming message in this way, stating that something is wrong with your computer, the software is infected with a virus or even a countdown starts with the announcement that the system will be shut down shortly, including a telephone number where you can get the ‘necessary’ support, then you should always be suspicious.

Of course, this scam is designed to make you worry about the supposedly imminent system crash. And a countdown puts you under enormous time pressure. But if you call the telephone number given, the fraudsters have already achieved their first goal. Because the ‘understanding’ criminal at the other end of the line now offers his help. They can fix the supposed error on your computer, tablet or smartphone, but will need to access your device to do so. He asks you to authorise his access via remote maintenance software. As you have taken the initiative and initiated the call yourself, this may seem like the logical next step. 

The goal: the release of a payment

However, the aim of fraudsters is regularly to get you to make a payment. Either by charging you for their ‘friendly support service’ or by obtaining your PIN and TAN in order to trigger unauthorised payments. In these cases, the money is irrevocably gone.

You cannot really prevent such criminal activities on the Internet. But with a few rules of conduct and technical precautions, you can at least minimise the risk of falling victim to such scams:

1. Install a pop-up blocker!

You can use a pop-up blocker to prevent pop-up windows from appearing on your screen. They are only displayed at all if you give your express consent. 

2. Do your research independently!

Do not blindly trust a telephone number, even if it is supposedly from a reputable company. For example, check the real company website to see whether the telephone number is actually correct. 

3. Be careful if strangers want to access your device!

If a stranger tries to access your device, all your warning lights should go on. On the face of it, they may be trying to help you, but they could actually be threatening to take over your computer. Of course, not all access via remote maintenance software is dubious per se. But there is no harm in hanging up first, talking to friends or relatives and checking the information at your leisure. 

4. Don't let yourself be put under pressure!

No matter what scenarios the caller comes up with: stay level-headed! Don't let yourself be pressurised by a countdown or other announcement. Even a very friendly and trusting atmosphere should not tempt you to become careless. If in doubt, simply end the call.

5. Personal data is not for third parties!

Keep reminding yourself that your personal data, especially your PINs and TANs, do not belong in the hands of others. Always consider whether this information is actually needed for the intended transaction.