Why is there a growth in cybercrime?
The FBI claims that there are several reasons why cybercrime is increasing. First off, committing cybercrimes has never been simpler for crooks. Second, the market for stolen data and personal information is expanding. Third, many criminals employ cutting-edge techniques to evade capture. Fourth, there are many low-risk, high-reward cybercrimes. Fifth, victims of cybercrimes frequently hesitate to file reports. Sixth, it has been difficult for law enforcement organizations to keep up with the rate of technological advancement. Last but not least, some nations do not have the necessary rules and regulations to deter and punish cybercrime.
What is the result? Criminals are aware that they can escape detection. These scams will become more frequent as we all spend more time online and become more reliant on technology, but that doesn't mean you should give up hope. Keep an eye out for my next blog post about how to defend yourself against these cunning con artists that just care about getting your money! Subject First Name Email Address How Online Scammers Steal Your Money
I wanted to talk specifically about one kind of scam that has been increasingly common over the past few years: phishing. You've surely heard about the recent Equifax incident and how social media scams are on the rise (to mention just two prominent examples).
Phishing is the practice of convincing people to divulge their private information, such as passwords or bank account details, by posing as a reliable source. This typically occurs via email or instant messaging; if you click on an email from your bank asking for confirmation of vital information or on a link that seems innocently sent from a friend on Facebook saying hello, then congratulations! It's been phishing you. Here are some tips for recognizing phishing scams and remaining secure:
Examine the sender address of any emails that seem to be from PayPal or your bank. If it seems strange, don't respond. Instead of clicking any links in the email, if you think it might be authentic, contact customer support at the company's phone number found on their website. Other red flags include texts with bad language or spelling; consider why someone would use such amateurish English unless they were attempting to conceal something. Additionally, keep in mind that businesses never send security alerts through email, so ignore any claims to the contrary!
What kinds of con games are there?
Scams can take many different forms and occur online. The most typical ones include phishing, in which con artists pretend to be a reputable business to obtain your personal information, and vishing, in which con artists imitate businesses by using voice recordings.
Malware, where con artists install malicious software on your computer to steal your information, and ransomware, where con artists lock you out of your computer or other device and demand money to let you back in, are examples of other frauds.
Phishing accounted for nearly 78% of all reported instances in 2016 and is by far the most prevalent sort of scam. Malware (3%) and ransomware (2%), the next most common scams, were vishing (16%) and malware (3%) respectively. Be on the lookout for messages from companies you don't know asking for personal information to prevent falling for one of these scams. If emails prompt you to click links or enter passwords, proceed with caution. Additionally, never divulge personal information over the phone unless it has been requested via a well-known communication channel, such as email or text message. Before providing any information to a caller who claims to be from a bank or other financial organization, check their identity. Additionally, if you visit a website that is unfamiliar to you, always check the URL in your browser. Look for HTTPS rather than HTTP in the address bar.
Lastly, be wary of deals that appear too good to be true because they generally are! For instance, if someone offers to give you money over the internet without expecting anything in return, there may be a problem. These are but a few methods scammers use to take your money online. Watch out for viruses that could infect your computer in addition to phishing and vishing activities. It will be simpler for you to defend yourself from similar situations once you are aware of how scammers are stealing your money online.
How is phishing carried out?
Phishing is a form of internet fraud when con artists send texts or emails pretending to be representatives of reputable businesses to get you to reveal personal information, such as your social security number or bank account number.
They can even try to persuade you to click on a link that would infect your machine with malware. Once they obtain your information, they can use it to perpetrate identity theft or steal your money.
If you fall victim to one of these scams, contact the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at (IC3) 888-4-FBI or the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. - 4 recommendations for preventing phishing scams
1) Before submitting any personal information on websites or by email, be aware of who you're working with and what their intentions are.
2) Avoid doing something if you feel like it doesn't look correct.
3) To prevent unwanted redirects, turn off pop-up advertisements and banners in your browser.
4) Look out for misspellings and poor grammar.
5) Think twice about clicking on links, even if they seem innocuous or familiar.
You should only enter a website address into your browser if you know the destination address and trust its legitimacy. Pay attention to spelling and grammar, so you can spot any errors.
Always check the URL bar at the top of your screen to make sure you’re not being redirected somewhere else without realizing it.
Last but not least, keep in mind that anything you send over email or post on a website may be used against you in some way. As such, you should never send sensitive information unless it is necessary. Keep in mind that this applies to all email accounts, including Gmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and Hotmail. Never email someone your Social Security Number, credit card numbers, banking information, or any other confidential information.
Follow connections from people you don't know with caution, especially those that claim to be from friends and relatives. When you first visit a website, be sure you're going to where you want to go by looking at the URL bar at the top of your screen; if not, shut that window and type the right web address again. Even though the sender's name is familiar to you, it doesn't necessarily guarantee the message is coming from them.
Finally, to prevent virus infections, always keep your software current and perform routine anti-virus scans. Ensure that your passwords are secure. Use a variety of words, numbers, symbols, upper- and lowercase characters, and symbols. They'll be more difficult to predict that way.
What are the best safeguards against fraud?
Knowing the most frequent scams is the best defense against being duped. These include online auctions, phishing emails, and bogus websites. Additionally, you must never divulge financial or personal information online. You can get in touch with the business directly to confirm the legitimacy of a website or email if you ever have any doubts about it.
Finally, you may shield yourself from con artists by using antivirus software. Numerous viruses can immediately start stealing your money from your computer.
Utilizing two-factor authentication is a fantastic additional safeguard against fraud. It makes it considerably more difficult for hackers to access your account and steal your information by requiring you to input not only your password but also another code that only you have access to on your phone before logging in. By reading our blog postings, you may stay up to date on current scams! Here are some recent examples of scams we've covered:
To be educated and continue avoiding these new frauds, we advise reading up on how they operate. For frequent updates on developments in technology-related crime prevention, check back often.
Why are you holding out? To learn more about keeping safe online, read our blogs right away!
Guidelines for surviving an assault
Scammers can now steal your money more easily than ever thanks to the internet. Here are some suggestions for handling an assault.
1) Exercise caution when considering any internet offer that seems too good to be true.
2) Refrain from clicking on links in emails sent by persons you don't know or trust and never open anything they send you.
3. Make use of antivirus software and update it regularly.
4) Don't ever transmit money without first using another method to validate the sender's identity (like by phone).
5) Use caution when making donations to organizations over the phone or email as some requests may be con games meant to take advantage of those who desire to help others.
6) Always double-check URLs before downloading files or providing personal information.
7) Be suspicious if someone contacts you and claims to be from a reputable company while requesting personal information such as passwords, bank account details, credit card numbers, etc. Confirm that the organization is requesting this kind of information by calling them directly. If you suspect fraud, it's also a good idea to get in touch with your banking institution or local law officials.
