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Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools
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Free online converters with malware
What’s the threat?
The FBI has warned that websites promising to convert files for free are increasingly infecting devices with malware. These sites do actually convert your file, making it look legitimate. But they also infect the converted file with hidden malware, which sends personal information like bank details back to the criminals running the sites.
This form of attack doesn’t affect your device’s performance, so the malware can lurk in the background. But some sites install ransomware on your computer, instantly locking your device until you pay the scammers a sum of money – usually in cryptocurrency.