Monthly Archives: February 2013

Protect your iphone

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Iphone Alert Feb 2013 – This came from my local police contact.
 
With many Iphones now in circulation and also on the criminals hot list for items to be stolen, here is a quick guide to allow you to secure your iphone and protect all of your personal data held on your device.

One of the most valuable sources of personal information that can be gained are bank details and passwords.  These can easily be gained from stolen mobile phones if they are not protected.

Always ensure your phone has a phone lock as your first line of defense.
 

HOW TO KEEP YOUR DATA FROM BEING STOLEN
1. Select Settings
2. Click General
3. Select Restrictions
4. Set a Restrictions passcode
5. Click Enable Restrictions
6. Look for Deleting Apps and toggle the switch from On to Off. This will mean that no one can delete an app such as Find My iPhone without your Restrictions passcode
7. Scroll down the list of options until you reach the Privacy section, here you’ll find a link to Locations Services, click it
8. Select Don’t Allow Changes. This will mean it is impossible for a robber to disable the Find My iPhone application from broadcasting your GPS. You will now need manually to approve all new apps to access your location data.
9. Go back to the main Restrictions menu and select Accounts, changing this setting to Don’t Allow Changes. This makes it impossible for a mugger to disconnect your iCloud account that connects to Find My iPhone.
10. If your iPhone is stolen, it is only going to transmit its location for as long as a SIM card is inserted and is active. You may therefore wish not to inform your mobile provider in the case of a robbery until you have met the police.
 
You should also register your mobile serial number on Immobilise so that should it be stolen it can be highlighted to all police forces across England.
 
www.immobilise.com
 (You can register any item that you own that has a serial number on this site.)

Notification of a scam from local police

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Fraud details

A message comes up on your computer screen stating to be from ‘Metropolitan Police Central E-Crime Unit’. The message states that illegal activity has occurred on the computer and £100 must be paid within 24 hours for the computer to be unlocked.

 
(It could be any Police Force stated in the email.)

Please do not pay any money to these scams, and if you are affected, please report these incidents to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

 
Alternatively, follow this link: www.actionfraud.police.uk to see a full list of current scams.

Thank you for your continued support.

 
Further details.

The Metropolitan Police have received a number of complaints from members of the public concerning an ongoing Internet scam.

 Whilst using their personal computer the victim will visit a web site and click on an apparently genuine link.

 However, the link is not what it purports to be and clicking on it causing a particularly nasty piece of malware known as ‘ransomware’ to be downloaded onto the victim’s computer.

 This apparently causes the victim’s operating system to lock-up, rendering it unusable.

 A screen shot is then displayed to the victim, headed by the Union Flag and the Metropolitan Police logo. It contains a message to the user, purporting to come from the Metropolitan Police, stating that the victim has been caught visiting web sites containing extreme pornography or material related to terrorism.

 The victim is then told that to unlock their computer they must pay a penalty of £100 to the Metropolitan Police through the UKASH online payment system.