To protect yourself from scams, you must first know what to look for. Generally, unsolicited calls and emails from unfamiliar numbers should go straight to voicemail and can be validated later by calling the company directly or searching online.
Also, do not share personal information on the internet. They can “phish” into your identity. If you are already a victim of scams, contact Refundee to get your money back.
Don’t Give Out Personal Information
Scammers can use your phone number to harass you, steal or access your digital account. The phone number may also be used to spoof your caller ID, so that even your friends and family can’t tell whether the person calling is a trusted source.
Remember that no reputable company will contact you and ask for personal information such as your bank account number or social security number. Any such request is a red flag and should be reported immediately to the company, via its official channels.
Scammers often have a lot of information about you at their fingertips, thanks to major data breaches that expose your name and phone number to a host of businesses that buy this info from brokers. It’s also possible that your personal information is already leaked on the Dark Web, courtesy of online tools that scrape social media and other public sites.
If you are a victim of an identity theft, it’s important to notify the fraud teams in your bank and credit card companies and change any passwords or other credentials for compromised accounts. You should review your credit reports regularly to ensure no suspicious activities have taken place.
Some digital accounts ask security questions to verify your identity. But these questions are easy for scammers “phish”. If you share too much information on social media, such as your favorite musician or mother’s maiden surname, it is easy for thieves to get the information they need.
You can avoid these scams by refusing to give out your personal information to anyone attempting to steal it. You should also protect your mailbox because scammers can intercept sensitive documents from the hands of the mailman. And finally, don’t click on any links in emails or text messages; instead, enter suspicious web pages manually into your browser’s address bar to check that the site is legitimate.
Don’t Click On Links
Links can lead to websites that trick your browser into downloading malware onto your device en route. This can steal sensitive data such as passwords, credit cards, mobile payments and more. It can also infect your computer or other devices and render them unusable, requiring you to pay a ransom to get your information back. Criminals can also use this malware to spy and steal your private conversations through a camera, microphone or other device.
Cybercriminals are getting cleverer and better at hiding their malicious code and ensuring their links pass through spam filters, virus detection systems and even get into some websites through drive-by hacking. These malicious links can be used to phish for your information, download viruses or plant malware that exploits known vulnerabilities in your browsers or operating systems. Most compromised accounts come from clicking a phishing link or visiting a site that asks for personal information.
Look out for misspelled words, grammatical mistakes, and a lack punctuation. Also, be wary of any links that are shortened, or have a lot of special characters. It is also a good idea to only use secure sites where you need to key-in confidential information (banking, social media and shopping). The encryption of a website that begins with https is a good thing. Your information will be more secure.
Before clicking on a link, hover your mouse cursor over it. This will show where the link actually leads. Many security companies have software which watches links to let you know if it doesn’t lead where you expect or if it has been reported as suspicious.
If something seems too good to be real, it probably is. Whether it’s winning the lottery, receiving a free tech gadget or getting a great deal on your next car, if you have to click to get the details, it is likely a scam.
Don’t Open Emails From Unknown Senders
Email is a major part of today’s business and personal life, but it also makes it a popular target for hackers and scammers. Phishing emails and other types malware can be transmitted via attachments. The best way to protect yourself is to be suspicious of any email from an unknown sender.
File Attachments: Never open an attachment from an unfamiliar sender. This is a surefire way to unleash viruses and malware onto your device, even if the message itself is harmless. Email attachments may be disguised as legitimate and include macros. These are programming codes that automate simple tasks, but can also be used for malicious code. Look for file extensions that end with m, such as.docm and.xlsm. Or any other clues to the attachment being unsafe.
Subject Lines: Be skeptical of emails with vague or ambiguous subject lines. These messages are designed to trick employees into downloading files, clicking on links, or providing personal information. They use a lot of alarming, outrageous or tempting language in order to get employees to act without thinking. Managed network security services providers can implement policies and filters to reduce the risk that employees will fall for these types scams.
Personal Requests: Do not respond to emails that ask for personal information such as bank account numbers or passwords. These messages are usually a red flag for cybercriminals and should be ignored or reported as spam immediately. If you really need to respond to an individual request, contact them directly using a non-email method.
Email security is essential to protect your business, employees, and customers. Scammers are always looking for ways to bypass email filters, and make their messages appear more legitimate. These tips will help you stay ahead of hackers, scammers, and protect yourself, your customers, and your employees.
Don’t Give Out Money
It’s not the best start to your day to discover fraudulent charges on your bank or credit card. Scammers may steal your personal data or download malware onto your device to gain access to your money if you haven’t taken the necessary steps to protect your privacy. Scammers use messages that look real and are designed to scare you into responding. They may claim to represent a trusted company, such as your internet or phone provider. They may claim to have a problem on your device and ask for remote access in order to fix it.
They can also pretend to be family or friends if they think you will trust them enough to give them your money or personal details. They will often use names, dates or places of birth to create a story that is difficult to resist. If the name or place is unfamiliar, it should be a huge red flag. You can either hang up or contact them directly using another number or another method. A fake message can be identified by spelling mistakes or poor grammar in emails and text messages. Scammers also mimic the voice and dialect of loved ones in order to make their requests appear more legitimate.
Scammers often ask you to transfer funds to them using a virtual currency or gift cards. Money muling is a scam that’s becoming more and more common. This can be a type of identity theft. You should never share your banking passwords or PIN with anyone, not even your loved ones.
If you have provided scammers with your money or your information, change your passwords online immediately on a brand new device that is not compromised. Speak to a cyber security expert or your bank about how to do it. Speak to your provider about a full virus scanning and recovery if you’ve had a computer or smartphone hacked.
Scammers are constantly changing, so you must be vigilant. Talk to your family and friends about how to spot scams so that you can all stay safe. Report any scams you’ve seen to the police or Cert NZ, as this helps other people avoid falling victim too.
