Today, the threat of cyber scams has forced Indian citizens to remain vigilant and prevent falling victim to a range of cyber scams plaguing the digital sphere – be it phishing scams, online job scams or identity theft. Scammers find new ways every day to trick unsuspecting victims and ultimately steal their hard-earned money.
Here, let’s learn how to prevent online fraud, learn to spot fake websites, and more.
Ways to protect against online scams, fake websites and emails:
Looking for poorly written descriptions
Got an email with a part-time job opportunity, but the text isn’t great? Well, that could be a sign that it’s fake – as part of a trick to deceive you. Check the email body for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. If you see multiple errors, or the email or website doesn’t look professional, it’s probably fake. Also, be aware of the source of the email. If it’s fake, then the domain name and the entity they purport to be will most likely end up not matching.
Beware of scammers posing as bank agents, income tax officials or police officers
Impersonation is another successful tactic used by scammers to exploit fear to trick people. Scammers may impersonate bank agents or police officers and accuse you of a crime you did not commit. Victims often rush to disclose sensitive information such as OTPs or transfers out of fear.
Don’t post personal information online
If you are in the habit of sharing personal information such as your address and Aadhaar number, be prepared to get hurt. When you unknowingly post a document as sensitive as your Aadhaar card online or share it with strangers, they can use your identity to commit fraud. This can cause serious problems for you. This is exactly how the fake officer scam works – scammers obtain the identity cards of real defense officers and then use them to defraud their victims.
Always change your password and turn on two-factor authentication
It goes without saying that having a strong password is the first step to protecting your online accounts. And when you double down on your security by adding two-factor authentication, you stand a chance against scammers.
Avoid clicking on external links (you often find offers too good to be true)
This is another common tactic used by scammers to lure victims. Ideally, they’ll tempt you with an offer that seems too good to be true, and maybe even offer a giveaway or freebie. It’s important to realize that you should never click on links that suggest such offers.
You may also receive similar links in social media direct messages. Be careful with these as you can quickly lose your account and eventually your money.
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