Close Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • Click here to read
  • Reverse freeway budget cuts – MP
  • Paid parking trial ‘fiasco’ before it begins
  • ‘Dialogue’ terminated over flag
  • 105 Quinns Parade, Mt Eliza
  • Brigade’s open day for all
  • Transparency backed, but ‘secret’ talks stay
  • Myatt puts opponents on notice
Facebook X (Twitter)
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»News»PC ‘hijack’ threat a rude awakening
News

PC ‘hijack’ threat a rude awakening

By MP News GroupJune 6, 2016No Comments2 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

A MT MARTHA woman was lucky not to be scammed last week when she received an email from what looked to be her power provider.

Sandra-Lyal Dennis, 72, said the email, purporting to be from AGL and with her correct name and account number, asked if she preferred to pay her quarterly power bills by the month.

If she did, the email requested that she move her cursor to an area on the screen where she could download pictures – but it was a trap. The download would have exposed her PC to a ransomware attack.

“Fortunately, I didn’t download the pictures,” Ms Dennis said.

“I rang AGL and they said it didn’t sound right. They warned me that it was a virus that would hijack my PC and I would have to send the [scammers] money to unlock it.

“I rang my daughter and she warned me that there were scams going around and to be very careful.”

The real AGL sent Ms Dennis a letter warning of a surge in attacks through the Cryptolocker virus and its different strains. The letter included an image of a message that pops up after the system is compromised: “Warning: We have encrypted your files with the Cryptolocker virus”, and demanding a fee be paid to unlock them.

“It was awful,” Ms Dennis said. “I would like to know how they got my correct name and account number.

“The email looked so legitimate.”

First published in the Mornington News – 7 June 2016

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Motorbike goes ‘off road’

November 27, 2023

‘Blatant disregard’ for peninsula

November 27, 2023

Victoria Police urging Black Friday shoppers to beware of scam websites

November 23, 2023

Mount Martha plane crash – update

November 22, 2023
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

November 27, 2023
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

November 30, 2023
Council Watch

‘Dialogue’ terminated over flag

November 28, 2023

Transparency backed, but ‘secret’ talks stay

November 28, 2023
Letters to the Editor
Letters Photo 167953350 © Zerbor | Dreamstime.com
Interview

Rolls Royce-driven life worth recording

November 13, 2023
Property of the Week

105 Quinns Parade, Mt Eliza

November 28, 2023
100 Years Ago This Week

Frankston school – Lecture by Mr Chas. Long

November 27, 2023
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook X (Twitter)
© 2023 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.