It is each internet user's responsibility to ensure that their personal information is secure. Understanding online security and following a few simple guidelines can help safeguard not only your sensitive information, but that of friends, family and colleagues.
Selecting a strong password is often the first step towards protecting yourself online. By following a few of the simple guidelines listed below, you can significantly improve the strength of your password.
Tips for a strong password
Poor password practices
One of the most common ways that scammers can gain access to your personal information is through phishing emails.
Phishing is a term used to describe the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from legitimate companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details via the internet.
For example: A fraudulent email claiming to be sent from SpinTel encourages you to reply with your personal account information including your username, password and date of birth. This email also threatens to close your SpinTel webmail account unless this information is supplied within 48 hours.
As part of our ongoing objective to ensure your online safety, we are making every effort to identify, report and block the source of these phishing emails. This page also includes regular examples of the latest phishing email alerts which target SpinTel. We are confident that by keeping you fully informed of these types of activities and through regular communication with our customers, we will minimise any inconvenience they may cause.
1. Check the 'From' email address line
Phishing emails may contain a fake email address in the 'From' email sender line. If you have not seen this email address from SpinTel before, the 'reply to' address is not a standard spintel.net.au address, or the email address has been slightly altered (e.g. spintell.com) then the email you have received could be fraudulent.
2. Check the SpinTel customer greeting
The distributors of phishing emails will generally not have access to your name, therefore many of these emails will contain greetings such as 'Dear Account User' or 'Dear SpinTel email User'.
3. Look for response deadlines
Many of these phishing emails will set a deadline for the update of your personal account information. These emails also claim that unless your account information is updated before a specified deadline, your SpinTel email account will be closed.
4. Email links or forms
Phishing emails generally contain a link which will redirect you to a false website or space in the email to enter in your personal information. Please be aware that these external links can be faked and when in doubt, it is always safer to type www.spintel.net.au directly into your internet browser.
5. Look at the sign-off name and position
Phishing emails will generally be signed off with a generic sign-off such as 'SpinTel Support Team' or 'SpinTel.net.au Team'.
6. A request to reveal personal information
Please be aware that SpinTel will never request that you disclose your personal details via email due to the security implications. Any email which requests your SpinTel username, password, date of birth, state or credit card information is clearly a phishing email and should be treated with extreme caution.
Delete any emails you suspect are Spam.
If you receive an email you suspect is Spam, we recommend that you delete the email immediately.
Please do not reply to these emails or click on any links they may contain, as this will just confirm to the Spammer that your email address is currently active and may result in your email receiving more Spam.
Download and install regular updates and patches for your operating system
Check Windows Update regularly and follow the directions to install the latest security patches and critical updates onto your system. To enter Microsoft Windows Update, you will find the 'Windows Update' option in Control Panel.
Install and update third party Anti-Virus protection
A computer virus is a program which can infect a computer and copy itself to spread among other connected computers. Once infected, your computer may no longer be secure and could be used for a number of fraudulent activities including online identity theft, modification of your personal files, stealing your personal information, distributing Spam email or spreading the virus to other computer systems.
Anti-Virus software is used to identify, quarantine and remove any viruses which may be present on your computer, as well as helping to safeguard your system against subsequent infections.
There are a number of free anti-virus alternatives which may give you a basic level of cover, however for more comprehensive cover you may wish to consider purchasing and subscribing to a fully-fledged Internet security software package.
Below are some free anti-virus programs:
Recommended subscription software:
*Please note that SpinTel does not provide support for these third party software applications.
Install and update Adware and Spyware removal tools
'Malware' is a collective term given to Spyware and Adware, which is potentially harmful software designed to infiltrate and/or damage a computer system without the informed consent of the end user.
Any personal information intercepted via spyware may then be used by an unauthorised third party to commit fraudulent activities.
To safeguard yourself against Malware, you may wish to consider installing and regularly running the following third party applications.
For more information on how to protect yourself and your family online as well as updates relating to the latest phishing emails, please visit:
