Woodside warns shareholders about Hassle Free Share Sales Pty Ltd

24 July 2008 - Woodside Petroleum is warning its shareholders of an unsolicited share offer that undervalues their shares. Hassle Free Share Sales Pty Ltd is known to have made offers to some Woodside shareholders to buy their WPL shares at $25.99 each, when the share is worth $52.54 each on the stock market.

Hassle Free Share Sales Pty Ltd offers St George Bank (SGB) shareholders 50% of true market value

22 July 2008 - Warning: St. George Bank shareholders have been asked to sell their shares at a 50% discount to Hassle Free Share Sales Pty Ltd.

David Tweed's Australian Share Purchasing Corporation strikes again with low-ball offer

5 June 2008 - Share market predator David Tweed is asking Incitec Pivot shareholders for an early birthday present: to sell him their shares at half their market value.

Share Express dealt a blow by ASIC on its unsolicited low-ball offer

Warning: Another phishing scam email targeting St George Bank's customers

14 May 2008 - A new phishing scam email is targeting St George Bank's customers. Customers are asked to click on a link in the email to verify their account detail. The link leads to a phishing scam website.

The public is warned not to click on links in emails.

Australian financial institutions, as an industry practice, do not request customers to log in to their websites from email links.

Rio Tinto warns about David Tweed

Warrning: Unsolicited share offer to Telstra shareholders

2 May 2008 - Telstra has warned its shareholders they may receive an unsolicited offer to purchase Telstra shares at a heavily discounted price.

NIB Holdings (NHF) warns sharesholders against David Tweed

1 Apr 2008 - Newly-listed private health insurer NIB Holdings Ltd has warned its shareholders against a fresh round of unsolicited offers from David Tweed. 

CSL Limited Warns Shareholders of Unsolicited Share Offers

14 Feb 2008 - CSL Limited is warning its shareholders about unsolicited share offers from Share Buying Group, a company known to make offers below real market value.

Share Buying Group is offering to buy CSL shares for  $16.01 per share when the share is trading above $34.00.

Heath Ledger's death exploited by cybercriminals

Email Scam: Targeting Bendigo Bank Customers

30 Nov 2007 - A new phishing email scam targeting Bendigo Bank customers is now circulating on the Internet.

The story is the same as other phishing scams. You are asked to log on to a fake website in order to "verify your detail". Internet users are warned not to click on the link.

NIB warns shareholders of unsolicited offer by  Hassle Free Share Sales Pty Ltd

23 Nov 2007 - NIB Holdings is warning its shareholders of yet another unsolicated offer to buy their shares at below-market price.

Yesterday, NIB advised that Share Buying Group is offering $0.61 per nib share, a price 51% below nib’s closing share price of $1.20 on 22 November 2007.

Today, another low-ball offer is made by another company, Hassle Free Share Sales Pty Ltd. 

NIB Holdings says it "does not endorse any unsolicited offer by Share Buying Group, Hassle Free Share Sales or any other company to buy shares from its shareholders".

NIB warns shareholders of low-ball share offer from Share Buying Group

22 Nov 2007 - NIB Holdings is warning its shareholders of an unsolicated offer by Share Buying Group to buy their shares at below-market price.

Share Buying Group is offering $0.61 per nib share, a price 51% below nib’s closing share price of $1.20 on 22 November 2007.

The managing director of NIB Holdings, Mr Mark Fitzgibbon, says "nib shareholders who accept the unsolicited offer will be at a significant financial disadvantage relative to what they would obtain if they sold their shares on-market".

Tweed's Colonial targets Axa investors

5 Nov 2007, The Australian - Colonial Capital Corp, an Australian firm previously known for its "low-ball" offers to shareholders, has targeted Axa Asia Pacific Holdings. Axa said shareholders had received letters from CCC offering to purchase their shares at NZ$12.00 (A$9.97) per share. It said payment would be spread over 15 years, at annual instalments of NZ$0.80 a share.

The current share price for Axa is NZ$9.58.

Trojan virus targets Mac users

2 Nov 2007, SMH - Online porn-hunters are the intended victim of the latest ploy, in which visitors to certain explicit websites are led to believe they're downloading a video-decoding plug-in when in fact they are installing malicious code onto their Macs.

Protecting yourself against identity theft

Identity theft happens in a multitude of ways.  It can range from somebody using your credit card details illegally to make purchases over the internet or telephone, through to having your entire identity assumed by another person to open bank accounts, take out loans, and conduct other business illegally in your name.

Identity Theft Prevention Checklist

Are you vulnerable to identity theft? Take a quiz using this checklist to determine ways you could reduce your chance of falling victim to identity theft.

Tweed turns attention to AMP

27 Oct 2007, NZ Herald - David Tweed is a director of Colonial Capital Corporation, which is making unsolicited offers to some AMP shareholders of $15 a share, payable in 15 annual instalments of $1. That equated to $8.37, significantly lower than AMP's closing share price of $12.21, AMP said.

Checklist for secure online banking

Are you an online banking user? Do you know how you could protect yourself from the potential dangers and pitfalls? Here is a useful security checklist for online banking users, compiled by CHOICE.com.au.

Are You Scam-Smart?

Phishing e-mails are designed to look like they are sent by legitimate businesses. Can you tell the difference between a fake and the real thing?

13 Ways to Protect Your Computer

Free Website Checker

McAfee SiteAdvisor ( www.siteadvisor.com ) is a great tool for checking website integrity. Simply enter any URL and SiteAdvisor's robot will conduct a safety test on the website.

SiteAdvisor checks for:
1. Spam
2. Viruses
3. Spywares
4. Pop-ups

SiteAdvisor also allows Internet users to submit reviews about websites.

Free Online Virus Scanner

There is a good selection of free online virus and spyware scanners from reputable anti-virus companies you could use. They are always updated with the latest virus definitions and you don't need to install anything on your computer (well, almost) to use them.

Give them a try today, and use them regularly to check that your PC is free from any malware.

Hackers Use IM to Commit Cyber Crime

Instant messaging (IM) is the quickest and easiest way to communicate online with friends and coworkers. However, IM is also an increasingly popular way for cyber criminals to distribute worms, viruses, and Trojans, and to commit fraud. Hackers like to target IM because they can use network ports that are already open for the IM client instead of having to open suspicious new ports.

IAG, Adelaide Bank shareholders targeted by unsolicited share offers

Users of social networking websites risk identity theft

Users of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are unknowingly exposing themselves to risks of identity theft and PC infection.

According to a US study in 2006, although 57 percent of people who use social networking sites expressed concern about becoming victims of cyber-crime, they are still divulging information that may put them at risk.

Hackers exploit crisis in Burma to spread Trojan virus

2 Oct 2007 - Taking advantage of international concern regarding the daily demonstrations in Burma, hackers are circulating an email that purports to carry a message from the Dalai Lama in support of the monks and other protesters in Burma.

10 Ways To Avoid Spam

Spam, definied as unsolicited bulk email, now constitutes about 70-80% of global email traffic. It has evolved over the years from being a mere nuisance to a severe PC security risk that could compromise personal and confidential information stored on your computer.

Deleting and dealing with spam is becoming a necessary chore. But you can stop spam at its track, by following these 10 useful tips.

Cute puppies for sale? Don’t be fooled

Scammers are offering 'AKC registered' puppies for sale at too-good-to-be-true prices. Some of the ads also include photos of very cute puppies.

NSW fraud squad warns of bogus online car advertisements

14 Aug 2007, SMH - According to NSW Fraud Commander Col Dyson there has been an increasing number of bogus car advertisements on Australian car websites over the last two months, which attempt to entice would-be buyers with lower prices than would normally be expected.

Internet bride scam

The scam is simple. Marry me and you'll get $100,000 in gold for dowry.

A South Australian man flew to the west African nation of Mali last month to meet his supposed bride and to collect the dowry. What he didn't know was that he will be held hostage for 12 days and asked to pay a $100,000 ransom or have his limbs chopped off.

Are you spam smart?

Death Threat & Blackmail Scam

20 June 2007 - Peter McGlothin didn't know what to think when he first got the e-mail with a bounty on his head. "[It] is a pity that this is how your life is going to end," the e-mail said.

The e-mailer, describing himself as a hitman, said one of McGlothin's "friends" put out a contract on his life and that people were monitoring his movements.

Queensland family lost more than $1.3m in Nigerian scam

16 June 2007 - A Queensland family has been fleeced of more than $1.3 million in an elaborate variation of the Nigerian scam that persuades people to part with large sums of money so they can retrieve an overseas inheritance.

Subject: THANK YOU FOR THE PAST(contact Timothy)

Dear Friend

I am happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred under the co-operation of a new partner from Paraguay.

Presently I'm in Paraguay for investment projects with my own share of the total sum.

Meanwhile, I did not forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how.

Spyware hidden on Museum of Contemporary Art website 

13 June 2007 - The website of Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art has been found to "host or distribute" malicious software, a day after reports surfaced of similar security breaches at the website of the Sydney Opera House.

Spyware hidden on Sydney Opera House website 

12 June 2007 - The Sydney Opera House website was found to contain malicious codes that download a spyware on to the computer of unsuspecting website users. The Sydney Opera House site is visited by more than 300,000 internet users every month.

Sydney Opera House director of information systems Claire Swaffield says she became aware the website had been hacked and the main page modified to contain the code in late May.

Another Phishing Scam hits ATO 

8 June 2007 - The Australian Tax Office (ATO) is again warning people to be wary of a fraudulent email that claims to offer a refund from the ATO.

Job offer. Part-time OK. AUD2500-3500 per month 

Good afternoon,
 
Can we try and make you interested in a home based job that may pay up to AUD2500-3500 per month? No envelope filling nonsense, no start up charges, this is a straightforward offer.
 
You don.t have to give up your present career; it will only take a small part of your time. All you need to have to start running your business with our company are reliable E-mail access and a bank account. And your willingness to earn, of course.

Danger hidden in Online Order email 

Overwhelmed by greed

Free money on the Internet

The Internet is wonderful. You get all sorts of free offers, prizes and even money! But are these too-good-to-be-true and make-me-rich opportunities really free?

They all want to give you easy money. Why not take it?

Phishing Scam hits ATO 

26 March 2007 - The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is warning the public of a scam e-mail currently in circulation that claims to be from the tax office.

The e-mail fraudulently uses the ATO logo and comes with the words 'Australian Taxation Office - Please Read' in the subject line.

Spyware Quiz

They say it's hard to judge a book by its cover. We'd argue that it's even harder to judge the safety of a Web site by its looks. Think you can sniff out which sites are adware & spyware free?

How to escape from junk mail hell 

14 Oct 2006, SMH - Are you sick of spam? You should be. By the end of this year, 71 per cent of email sent worldwide will be spam, according to The Radicati Group. However, all is not lost. There are some basic steps, services and products that can help you reduce and manage spam mails.

Money Transfer Scams - What You Should Know

(also called money laundering, mule recruitment, employment scams, home business scams)

So you have been offered a "job" to act as an agent for money transfer. All you need to do is receive money to your bank account, keep 7% to 15% of the received amount, and transfer the balance to an overseas bank account. Sounds like easy cash? Well, what you don't know is that you are being asked to launder money out of the country for crime syndicates and even terrorists. You could be imprisoned for up to 25 years for the illegal act of money laundering!

Gmail phishing email lures with $500 cash prize

A widespread phishing email campaign is trying to trick Internet users out of money by pretending to be a random cash prize from Gmail. The emails claim that the recipient has been randomly selected for a $500 cash prize, and that the money can be automatically paid to them if they click on the embedded web link.

The link leads to a bogus Tripod-hosted website. The fake web page says that there has been a problem sending the payment, and asks victims to enter their details and pay a membership fee of $8.60.

Government launches SCAMWATCH website to combat online scams

The most effective protection against falling prey to scams is to be informed about them in the first place. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has a dedicated website that informs the public about common and the latest scams.

CERT's Guide on How To Strengthen Your Web Browser Security 

This guide will help you configure your web browser for safer internet surfing. It is written for home computer users, students, small business workers, and any other person who works with limited information technology (IT) support and broadband (cable modem, DSL) or dial-up connectivity.

Warning on internet money transfer

Victorian police have put out a warning for people to be aware of an internet scheme involving money transfers.

Virus Detection and Prevention Tips

Do you know that a new Internet user is likely to have his or her PC infected with either a virus or spyware within the first 20 minutes of usage?

Here are some tips to protect your computer!

Spywares and trojans in web freebies 

30 July 2005, Sydney Morning Herald - Cyber criminals have found a new doorway into our hard drives, this time under the guise of seemingly friendly community sites, blogs and freebies.

New virus hits mobile phones 

9 March 2005, Sydney Morning Herald - A new mobile phone virus - the first of its kind - has started spreading via messages containing photos and sounds.