BORDERERS have been urged to stay safe online after social media scams have affected residents in the area.

Police Scotland have released information about the scams in an attempt to warn others and prevent the same thing happening again. 

The first relates to emails allegedly from Facebook, which inform the user that they have a friend request. 

When checking Facebook itself (rather than clicking on the link in the email) there is no friend request.

This is an example of a phishing email that is trying to direct the recipient to a site that will mimic Facebook and then collect all their passwords.

The second scam also relates to Facebook, while on the website the computer froze and an error message appeared saying that malware had been downloaded.

The message claimed to be from Windows 10 and gave the following number to ring 0800 086 9834.

The man on the end of the phone passed a series of instructions and then took control of the computer. 

The male then stated that it was going to cost several hundred pounds to fix.

Having carried out a few searches this phone number is linked to a number of scams on Facebook, and the error message tends to pop up after clicking on a link for a sensational news story.

The force have issued some top tips for residents to ensure they aren’t caught out and stay safe online, by following the Take Five for Fraud campaign advice:

  • Never disclose security details, such as your PIN or full password – it’s never okay to reveal these details.
  • Don’t assume an email request or caller is genuine – people aren’t always who they say they are.
  • Don’t be rushed – a genuine bank or organisation won’t mind waiting to give you time to stop and think.
  • Listen to your instincts – if something feels wrong then it is usually right to pause and question it.
  • Stay in control – have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for information

For more advice on how to stay safe online, visit: www.getsafeonline.org