An online survey using GO branding and imagery is a fake designed to trap people into handing over their contact information, the company has warned. 

In a statement, GO said that it was not conducting any such surveys and that people should ignore any pop-up messages in their browser offering prizes for anyone who takes part in the survey. 

"Any content published online by GO appears only on its official website at www.go.com.mt or its official social media channels," the company said.

"Any other online content which appears to be from GO, especially if it appears as a pop-up, should always be ignored."

Phishing - tricking people into handing over sensitive information by posing as a trustworthy entity - has grown significantly over the past decade, with scammers using email, fake websites and misleading links to lure people into a sense of security and extract information from them. 

The 2013 Microsoft Computing Safety Index estimated that the annual worldwide impact of phishing could be as high as US$5 billion.

Publicly-listed GO is one of Malta's leading telecommunications providers, with more than 500,000 customer connections covering internet, phone and TV services. The company also provides business-related services.