Social network scams

 　　NB: This is not a word for word transcript 1

　　Stephen: Hello I'm Stephen.
　　Alice: And I'm Alice.
　　Stephen: And this is 6 Minute English. This week we're talking about social networks.
　　In the past few years, social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook
　　have experienced a huge rise in the number of people using them.
　　Alice: Sometimes called social media, they offer their members or users an easy and
　　entertaining way to maintain links or stay in contact with people they know
　　and trust.
　　Stephen: And do you use social media much, Alice?
　　Alice: I do, especially with friends who live abroad.
　　Stephen: Well, social networking websites have been in the news recently because of
　　worries about their safety. There’s evidence to show that criminals are trying
　　to trick people into giving away their passwords for example. But before we
　　find out more, are you ready for today's question Alice?
　　Alice: I am, I hope it’s not too hard.
　　Stephen: Well, we’ll see! Can you name the first celebrity 2 to have more than 10 million
　　people following his or her updates on Twitter? Was it:
　　a) Ashton Kutcher
　　b) Lady Gaga
　　c) Stephen Fry
　　Alice: Oh, I would guess Lady Gaga.
　　Stephen: I won’t give you the answer just yet - we'll find out at the end of today's
　　programme. But more about today’s topic. Lots of people use sites like
　　Facebook and Twitter to publish short messages or status updates about what
　　they're doing. They also use them to share photographs or web links.
　　Alice: A status update is a way of telling other users about what you are doing right
　　now. But this can sometimes reveal personal information, which criminals
　　might use to scam people into giving away their passwords or other
　　confidential 3 information.
　　Stephen: A scam is a way of cheating or tricking somebody into giving you money or an
　　important piece of information. Here's the BBC's technology correspondent
　　Mark Gregory to explain how some of these scams work:
　　Insert 1: Mark Gregory
　　Social networking is all about maintaining links with people you know and trust, which
　　makes networking services like Facebook an obvious target for scams involving
　　impersonation. The scale of the problem is highlighted in the latest six monthly security
　　intelligence report from the computer software giant Microsoft. Drawing on information
　　from 600 million computer systems around the world, the report says social networking
　　provides a lucrative 4 hotbed of opportunities for fraudsters.
　　Stephen: So Mark Gregory explains that sites including Facebook are obvious targets.
　　With information from 600 million computers, experts say social networks
　　provide a lucrative hotbed of opportunities for fraudsters.
　　Alice: A lucrative hotbed - it could be very profitable or beneficial for criminals
　　trying to access peoples' personal information. Fraud is the name given to the
　　criminal act of cheating somebody for money – and a fraudster is somebody
　　who commits fraud.
　　Stephen: Now let’s find out about one particular form of online fraud. Here’s the BBC’s
　　Mark Gregory again. Listen out for the word phishing and see if you can
　　understand what it is:
　　Insert 2: Mark Gregory
　　Phishing frauds take the form of messages that often appear to come from someone the
　　user knows - friends or colleagues perhaps - that trick them into providing information
　　useful to criminals.
　　Stephen: Did you hear the word phishing? It's spelt differently to how you might expect
　　it to be - p.h.i.s.h.i.n.g. Phishing is where you get an email or message that you
　　think was sent by somebody you know. But appearances can be deceiving.
　　Alice: Deceiving - it isn’t what it appears to be.
　　Stephen: Phishing emails fish for information about people - that’s why the word sounds
　　like fish, the creatures in the sea. They might appear as an email from
　　somebody you already know, or pretend to be from a trusted website or
　　company.
　　Alice: Phishing emails encourage you to hand over important personal information,
　　such as your password or username.
　　Stephen: And with this information, criminals might be able to gain access to, or get into
　　your Facebook or your Twitter account.
　　Alice: So are there any ways we can protect ourselves from this kind of scam or
　　fraud, Stephen?
　　Stephen: Well, it’s important to be very careful about the information you share online.
　　Lots of social networks have advice or guidelines on creating a secure
　　password and on how to stay safe online.
　　Alice: I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.
　　Stephen: Exactly. The report from Microsoft says there has been a twelvefold - or
　　1200% increase - in the number of phishing attacks since last year.
　　Alice: That's a very large increase.
　　Stephen: So we should be vigilant 5.
　　Alice: Yes, we need to keep our eyes open and pay careful attention to any
　　suspicious-looking emails or messages.
　　Stephen: And before we go today Alice, do you have the answer to my question?
　　Can you name the first celebrity to have more than 10 million people following
　　his or her updates on Twitter?
　　Alice: And I said Lady Gaga.
　　Stephen: And you’re right!
　　Alice: Oh, good!
　　Stephen: All up-to-date on the latest pop music! And before we go, Alice, would you
　　mind reading some of the words from today’s programme?
　　Alice: Of course:
　　social networks
　　status update
　　scam
　　fraudsters
　　a lucrative hotbed
　　Stephen: Thanks, Alice. Well, it’s time for us to log off from today’s 6 Minute English.
　　See you next time.
　　Both: Bye!




点击收听单词发音  






1
transcript

  
 


n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书


参考例句：





A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。












2
celebrity

  
 


n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望


参考例句：





Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。












3
confidential

  
 


adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的


参考例句：





He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。












4
lucrative

  
 


adj.赚钱的，可获利的


参考例句：





He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。












5
vigilant

  
 


adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的


参考例句：





He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。