Mac Users Get Scammed, Too

August 28, 2008 · Posted in Scams 


There’s no question that the Internet is a great tool and a modern marvel. It’s made our lives much more convenient and given us the means to broaden our horizons personally, culturally and financially. But as with anything, there are pitfalls that can cause you a lot of trouble if you aren’t aware of how to avoid them.

Falling prey to online scams can, at the very least, render your computer nothing more than an expensive doorstop and at the very worst ruin your personal finances completely. A virus can ruin your hard drive, and identity theft can ruin your bank balance.

There is a popular belief floating around out there that Mac users are not susceptible to online threats, and that PC owners are the ones that really have to worry. This is only partly true. PC owners do have to worry, of course, but Mac users are definitely not immune to the dangers out there on the Internet. For example, studies have shown that Mac users fall prey to phishing scams at around the same rate PC users do. This is because Apple’s browser, Safari, has no phishing protection built in like major PC browsers do.

What’s more, since Mac users are often under the mistaken impression that they don’t need to worry about this stuff, they often do not take it upon themselves to acquire additional software that would protect them from phishing, other scams, and viruses. You still need to take care to never open attachments from people you don’t know, and certainly never give out banking information through email. Your financial institution is never going to email you to ask for your password to “check records,” or anything similar. If you get an email like that, you can safely assume it’s a threat and delete it immediately.

Until Safari’s security features catch up with those of the PC, you may consider using an alternate browser like Opera or Firefox, which offer more protection. If you are a Mac owner, never assume that your Mac is safe just by virtue of being a Mac. Doing so can put your financial health at major risk, not to mention your computer’s health, so keep a careful eye on what you and your family do online to protect yourself, and the Internet will remain a modern marvel instead of a costly monster wreaking havoc on your bank account.

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