After revealing at the end of last year that the roll-out of new social media sites were leading to a fresh crop of online scams and threats, PC Tools has now launched its latest range of internet security products in South Africa.

PC Tools’ latest range of internet security products incorporates scam detection technology, which exposes cybercrime scams such as “get rich quick” and mobile subscription offers. Additionally, the company stated that its new protection portfolio also increases the focus on non-malware based online threats, which trick consumers into handing over money or divulging confidential information.

In collaboration with the Ponemon Institute, PC Tools undertook an extensive study that looked at how susceptible internet users are to online scams. The results of this survey highlighted the fact that all internet users need further education, to avoid exposing their personal details via malicious websites.

Besides the ability to target online scams, PC Tools’ latest protection portfolio is also faster as scan times have been dramatically boosted. The company achieved this by utilising intelligent, cloud-based reputation scanning to identify online threats quicker, while newly added  anti-phishing technology has enhanced the detection of threats originating from spam emails. The recommended retail price for PC Tools Internet Security 2012 is R125.

“The real concern with online scams is that these are costing internet users billions of dollars every year, and unless consumer behaviour is addressed through education, the incidence of cybercriminals seeking to cash in on consumer trust, greed, compassion and naivety online will continue to grow” explained Richard Clooke, internet security expert at PC Tools.

“Unfortunately, many consumers don’t realise that some online scams don’t involve malware,” Clooke added. “Traditional internet security is essential to maintain protection against viruses and malicious files and websites, but cybercriminals are changing their methods by tricking consumers into revealing their personal information, and this requires a very different protection approach.”