Ukash enables you to pay online with cash. You don’t have to have a debit or credit card, or provide any personal details to use Ukash. Simply get Ukash at any of the thousands of outlets and then use the 19 digit Ukash code to pay safely online.
Ukash is a safe, easy and convenient payment method. However, just as many other payment methods have been troubled by scamming groups, Ukash has also been targeted, so take care. Scams come in different forms, but the more careful you are with the use of your Ukash codes, the less likely you are to fall prey to scams.
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Metropolitan Police Scam
A recent scam involved scammers trying to obtain payments from random computer users by posing as the Metropolitan or other international police forces. A malware message is received claiming that the user’s computer has been locked and a payment is required in order to unlock it. This payment can be made to the scammers using Ukash codes or other specified methods of payment.
This virus is particularly annoying as your computer will not access anything. Do not, however, be tempted to make payment as this is a scam, you will lose your money, and even if you do make the payment the problem will not necessarily be fixed.
There are a number of sites where you can get instructions on how to remove the virus from your system and they are free of charge. They give you step by step instructions on how to clean your computer without having to make any payment to the scammers. We also recommend that you contact your local police and report the crime.
Other Virus Scams
Scams appear to be getting more sophisticated in their efforts by creating different versions of the Metropolitan Police scam for different countries and languages including English, German, Dutch and Spanish. The list of imitated police forces includes law enforcement agencies in Germany, Switzerland, UK, Spain and Holland. The scam method is much the same, with a message being displayed that illegal activity has been detected and the OS has been locked for infringement of the laws of the country. The scammer then demands payment by Ukash, or an equivalent method, or the computer’s hard disk will be erased.
The Strathclyde Police Ukash Virus
The Strathclyde Police Ukash virus is a variant of this scam that displays a fake popup message requiring victims to pay to unlock their computer. The scammer requires that the payment be made using Ukash. The scam appears to have been sent by the Strathclyde Police Service. You should, not fall for this scam and you should take immediate steps to remove this virus from your computer. Simply seek advice from your anti-virus supplier.The Bundespolizei Ukash Virus
The Bundespolizei Ukash scam is another malware infection that delivers annoying messages while disabling certain computer functions. As in the previous cases, do not be tempted to pay for removal of the malware, as you will lose your money, this will only benefit the scammers. You should seek advice from your anti-virus supplier.The New Scotland Yard Ukash Virus
New Scotland Yard Ukash Virus is another scam of the same type where, you are requested to make payment using Ukash in order to clean your computer of all undesirable threats. Here too, the scammers have become more sophisticated and display screen messages that really do look like Scotland Yard official material. Seek advice from your anti-virus supplier.Security Precautions
Because the voucher is like cash money, you have to protect it like you would cash and keep it safe. If someone takes your voucher, it doesn’t have your name printed on it like a debit or credit card does, so there isn’t proof that it’s yours.
Scammers and malware authors are constantly developing old scams for making money. Ukash is a safe way to make payments, but nevertheless, you should always take care.
Look after your Ukash as you would the cash in your wallet and make sure that your computer is always protected with antivirus software and that its settings are always up-to-date. Prevention is better than cure - a little care and foresight will help you avoid scams like these, so be aware and rest assured that you can use your Ukash online safely.
Many more security tips can be found in the Ukash Scam Blog.
About Ukash
Retailers with online purchase capabilities have been missing out on reaching a major segment of consumers: cash spenders. While some consumers hesitate to use their credit or debit cards online, others prefer not to shop online at all. The economic climate has also contributed to the reduced number of credit card users online. For these reasons, cash spenders are becoming a bigger portion of consumers than they have been in the past.
These consumers can enjoy online purchasing through a United Kingdom-based company called Ukash. A subsidiary of Smart Voucher, Ukash has been around since 2005 helping use their cash to pay online. If you have an amount of cash money you want to spend online but have no idea how to do it, go into one of the 420,000 or more outlets in which you can purchase a Ukash voucher. When you purchase your voucher, you will be given a unique 19-digit code that will allow you to purchase items online up to the amount for which you have purchased the voucher.
You can also use Ukash to buy a prepaid virtual MasterCard or
physical UkashOut MasterCard. The Ukash NEO is a virtual card for online
or paying over the phone. The UkashOut MasterCard is a physical
reloadable card which comes with a PIN so you can use them in shops and
make withdrawals at ATMs.Ukash is beneficial to retailers who accept it for many reasons. Because it’s guaranteed, bad credit loans there are no charge backs, meaning the money is always there. With a credit card, sometimes the charge comes back because the money is either not in the account or the charge is over the customer’s limit. Ukash is also regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
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