The Government will join with software giant Microsoft to host a national day to educate the public about the dangers of internet fraud next month.
Between 500,000 and 800,000 information booklets will be distributed on the day in an attempt to raise awareness of hackers, viruses and internet fraudsters. The information booklets will be distributed as inserts in The Irish Times, Irish Independent, Examiner and The Star on the day of the event, which is scheduled for mid-November.
The State's decision to host a major internet security campaign in November is in response to rise in the number of internet frauds perpetrated in Ireland. The Commission for Communications Regulation recently disclosed that more than 300 consumers have been targeted by "modem hijacking" frauds since the start of the year.
Modem hijacking frauds occur when fraudsters set up websites that automatically install rogue software on a consumer's computer. This software then redirects the internet dial-up settings on the computer to reroute calls through foreign locations running up huge phone bills.
The fraudster is then able to claim a portion of the call costs from the consumer's internet service provider, often before the consumer even knows they have been the subject of a scam.
