Don’t fall for a free iPad

Internet security companies warn against scams offering free iPads and MacBooks in the name of Steve Jobs.

Is someone offering you free Apple Inc products in the memory of Steve Jobs? Watch out. It's a scam. Ever since the former CEO of Apple passed away on Thursday last week, social networking sites have been flooded with online scams offering free iPads, MacBooks and iPods.

So much so, that Internet security company Trend Micro issued a statement warning people against a Facebook page which claimed that Apple is giving away 1,000 iPads in memory of Steve Jobs. Anti-virus makers Kaspersky Lab also issued a warning against such plans. "While you won't win a new laptop, the chances of you winning a whole new batch of spam emails are high," Kaspersky Lab said in a statement.

Delhi-based ethical hacker Ankit Fadia warns that online criminals use major events such as festivals, birthdays and deaths to spread viruses and cheat people out of personal data.

"Osama's death was the last incident when such scams became a global menace. Use common sense, and if you're still tempted, go check the official website of Apple," he says.

Cyber law expert Rodney D Ryder says the total losses from cybercrime worldwide were estimated to be USD114 billion annually. "The best option is to follow the Stop, Look and Call method, be wary and read around such offers, and if there's anything fishy, call the authorities," adds Ryder.

Agencies and Navdeep Kaur Marwah