The BBC’s Breakfast Programme had a piece on internet fraud this morning. In particular was the vexed question of rogue diallers. Those little Active X programs that silently install onto your computer then disconnect your dialup session and replace it with their own premium rate "service". The first the user knows about it is when they get their bill – in the case being discussed, £300. Ouch. The phone companies (BT in this case) take the line that there is nothing they can do after the event, merely warn customers about what my happen in the future and what to look out for. Consumers, however, are taking the line that the phone companies have the means to detect unusual usage and warn the customer before it gets out of hand.
All of this is perfectly true – but, the customer really should be taking a bit more personal responsibility here. Dialler fraud is nothing new, any more than is phishing, timeshare scams or the Nigerian 419 fraud. If people haven’t heard about them where have they been?
Protecting yourself against dialler fraud is a simple matter:
- If you really must use Internet Explorer, switch off the Active X facility in preferences. That way, it will not automatically download these things without asking you.
- Dump IE and use an alternative browser with more security. Firefox, for example.
- Install good, proactive anti-spyware and antivirus software. I use a combination of Norton Antivirus and Webroot’s Spysweeper.
- If you think you’ve been hijacked, disconnect your computer from the phone line physically until you’ve got rid of it.
- Upgrade to broadband – this fraud only works with diallers.
- Stay away from porn sites as that is where they tend to hang out.
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