4. Key logging

Some fraudsters plant keylogging software onto your machine in order to steal your personal details.

Key logging software can be sent to you as an attachment in an email. They might send something that looks interesting e.g. photographs, but as soon as you open them, the key logging software automatically installs. You won't even know it is there. Some websites that you visit can also install key logging software onto your system without your knownledge.

Once key logging software is installed, it will record every single key that you type. A record of all your keystrokes then gets sent to the criminal's computer.

They then sift through the data to see which websites you visited and find out things like the user names and and passwords that you used. They can then log in as you.

If they get your bank account details this way, they can get hold of all of your money or run up debts in your name.