Scammers will use smart and tactical schemes to swindle people from year to year. The advancement of technology has contributed to the high rate of online scamming. These scammers will combine old tricks with the new technology to get individuals’ personal information and become victims of fraud. Below are tips that can help you protect yourself from online scammers.
Create Strong and Different Passwords
The most common way scammers get your information is through guessing of passwords. A weak password will allow an unauthorized person to access your computer easily. With a secure password, you can prevent intruders from hacking your computer and are protected from financial fraud. A scammer can quickly get your documents when you use the same password across your account. Use unique and strong passwords for every account you have. Ensure your passwords have at least eight characters.
Be Cautious of Public Wi-Fi
You are at a high risk of fraud in using public Wi-Fi networks. Most hackers take advantage of this opportunity to access user-sensitive data and intercept it to links. With this information, the scammer can easily access your passwords and valuable information, such as banking credentials. Due to the insecurity of public Wi-Fi, be cautious about what you are accessing. For example, do not shop or access your bank account using public Wi-Fi.
Examine the Private Settings
Social media privacy settings give you control of your profile and information over whom to share it with. The ability to customize your social media platforms will prevent malicious people from accessing your posts and information. One of the best practices to evade scammers is to refrain from accepting a random friend request just because it has popped up. You can prevent identity fraud through privacy settings.
Update Software on Your Device
Regular updates can improve the stability of your software. Security flaws are patched through software updates, making it difficult for scammers to hack your personal information. The scammer takes advantage of the security holes and writes cords. These cords are then packaged into malicious software (malware) that can steal your data and information.
Avoid Opening and Responding to Suspicious Texts and Calls
You may receive calls, emails, and texts asking you to send or give your security details, such as passwords and logins. When not sure about the source of the messages and call, avoid responding until you confirm their identity using independent sources. Be careful of the kind of application you install on your device. You may find yourself installing a virus that will give the scammer access to your details.
Know the Person you are Dealing With
Research the people you are dealing with to ensure they and their businesses are legit. When in doubt of a message or call, contact these people directly and do a confirmation before any undertaking. You will be safe and secure when you are assured of the people you are working with.
Validate Your Payments
Do not send money to a person you don’t know. For validity, purposes verify and confirm the payment information given and ensure it is consistent. Check with the institution and get details of the person you are transacting with to confirm and know if they are legit. Also, avoid transferring money on behalf of another person. You may find yourself in a mess you never expected.
When you encounter an unusual payment request from a salesperson, be careful to know what you’re getting involved in. Most scammers will use this approach to get money from you. Examples of unusual payment include gift cards, pre-loaded, debit cards, and item cards. When using virtual currencies such as bitcoin, verify the methods are known and trusted for protection against fraud.
Be careful when operating on online platforms because it is easy to be caught off guard since these scams look like the real things. Research and understand the different follow-up approaches used by scammers to defraud people.
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