The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Fraudsters have a new way to trick people out of their money. They pretend to be the technical support of ISPs (Internet Service Providers). They target an IP – this is a computer's online ID number. Once fraudsters have the IP, the victim gets a message to say the computer has malware. The message asks you to phone for help. An Internet security company said: "The scammers are trying to get people to call them. People are…paying to be scammed."

Most of the scams so far are in the USA and UK, but they will spread. A malware expert said: "It caught me by surprise….It was only when I looked in closer detail that I saw it was a scam." The fraudsters infect online adverts. These find your IP number. You do not have to click on the ad to get malware. The expert's advice is to call the tech support number you got when you signed up for the Internet. He said never trust phone numbers in pop-up windows.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/watch-out-for-these-sophisticated-new-fake-tech-support-stings-1323769
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36084989


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. a new way to trick people out
  2. They target
  3. this is a computer's online
  4. the victim gets a
  5. the computer has
  6. Internet security
  7. trying to get people
  8. People are paying to
  1. malware
  2. of their money
  3. be scammed
  4. ID number
  5. to call them
  6. an IP
  7. company
  8. message

Paragraph 2

  1. Most of the scams so
  2. they will
  3. a malware
  4. It caught me by
  5. when I looked in closer
  6. The fraudsters infect online
  7. call the tech support
  8. never trust phone numbers
  1. adverts
  2. expert
  3. detail
  4. in pop-up windows
  5. far are in the USA
  6. surprise
  7. spread
  8. number

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Fraudsters have a (1) ___________________ people out of their money. They (2) ___________________ technical support of ISPs (Internet Service Providers). They (3) _________________ – this is a computer's online ID number. Once fraudsters have the IP, (4) ___________________ a message to say the computer has malware. The message asks (5) ___________________ for help. An Internet security company said: "The scammers are trying to (6) ___________________ call them. People are…paying to be scammed."

Most of the (7) ___________________ are in the USA and UK, but they will spread. A (8) ___________________ said: "It caught me by surprise….It was only when I looked (9) ___________________ that I saw it was a scam." The fraudsters infect (10) ___________________. These find your IP number. You do not have to click (11) ___________________ get malware. The expert's advice is to call the tech support number you got when you signed up for the Internet. He said (12) ___________________ numbers in pop-up windows.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Fraudstershaveanewwaytotrickpeopleoutoftheirmoney.Theypreten
dtobethetechnicalsupportofISPs(InternetServiceProviders).Theyta
rgetanIP–thisisacomputer'sonlineIDnumber.Oncefraudstershav
etheIP,thevictimgetsamessagetosaythecomputerhasmalware.The
messageasksyoutophoneforhelp.AnInternetsecuritycompanysaid:"
Thescammersaretryingtogetpeopletocallthem.Peopleare…payingto
bescammed."MostofthescamssofarareintheUSAandUK,buttheywills
pread.Amalwareexpertsaid:"Itcaughtmebysurprise….Itwasonlywh
enIlookedincloserdetailthatIsawitwasascam."Thefraudstersinfecto
nlineadverts.ThesefindyourIPnumber.Youdonothavetoclickonthead
togetmalware.Theexpert'sadviceistocallthetechsupportnumberyou
gotwhenyousignedupfortheInternet.Hesaidnevertrustphonenumbe
rsinpop-upwindows.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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