Protect your computer and yourself

How to protect yourself from frauds and how to avoid viruses

Phishing

What is Phishing?

Phishing means that a scammer is trying to "fish" for sensitive information from you via e-mail, telephone or social media.

E-mail

This usually involves someone sending an e-mail to you that appears to come from your bank, for example. The scammer then tries to trick you into giving him/her log on information to your online banking. No bank will ever ask for such information from you, especially by e-mail.

Scam phone calls and text messages (SMS)

Scam phone calls usually involves someone calling you saying that they represent a company you have heard of. This may involve, for example a support company that wants to help you with a problem they say you have on your computer, such as a virus. The phenomenon is called false support. You might be asked to provide information about your user name,  password, account number, credit card number or other sensitive information. Legitimate companies will not contact customers in this way.

Social networks

On social media we often take for granted that it is our friends or contacts we are talking to, but if you are unlucky it can be someone completely different. It is not uncommon that people get their social media accounts hijacked and that the scammer then tries to trick their contacts into giving them their response codes so they can log on to the online service. If one of your contacts asks you for your response codes or card numbers, it is likely that it is not a friend or one of your contacts who is asking the question.

 Bear in mind that:

  • Handelsbanken would never contact you by phone or e-mail  to request confidential information. This type of information is handled by personal contact at your branch.

    If you receive an e-mail appearing to come from Handelsbanken with questions about your credentials, do not answer it. We would be grateful if you could forward the whole mail to:

    reportphish@handelsbanken.se


  • Do not use links to Handelsbanken, which you receive by e-mail or text message. Instead, type the full address of Handelsbanken directly in the browser.

  • Never allow anyone to control your computer remotely.

Viruses and Trojans

What is a virus or Trojan?

A virus or a Trojan is a program containing malicious code. Through the virus or Trojan the scammer wants to steal personal information from your computer or tablet. Some Trojans makes it possible for the scammer to take control of your computer via the internet, without you being aware of this. Viruses can spread via e-mail when you receive an attachment which has been sent to you.

Bear in mind the following:

  • Use an updated antivirus program.

  • Do not open links and attachments that you receive by e-mail or text message if you do not know what they contain.

  • Do not modify the operating system on your mobile by doing a "jailbreak" where you unlock Apple´s software blocks and can access the file system of the entire iOS device. Viruses and Trojans could be part of the apps you later download.

  • Be aware if the log-on page to GlobalOn-Line looks different in any way. This may be an indication that your computer has been attacked and that in reality you have ended up on a different site than that of Handelsbanken.