How to protect yourself from scams
Scammers and fraudsters are constantly inventing various tricks to steal your money or personal information. So there is no alternative but to be careful to avoid fraud. And you can follow these tips to stay alert and safe in the internet world.
Anyone can be a victim of fraud
Scammers can target people of any profession, age and income. There is no specific class or group that targets scammers or fraudsters in a specific way. Anyone can be a victim of scams or scams at any time.
Those who are deceived think that scams are successful because they think they are real. Again, scammers cheat at a time when users are not very careful. Scammers are getting smarter day by day by using different strategies. They win the hearts of users by creating believable stories about new technologies, products, services or big events in such a way that they easily give money or personal information to scammers.
The way to protect yourself
• Always be aware that scammers can deceive you at any time. Whenever a person or a business person tries to communicate unintentionally by phone or email, be careful. Always suspect that this type of communication is a scam. Remember, if it seems too believable, it is more likely to be a scam.
• Find out who you are dealing with. If that person is only known to you online or if you are unsure about his or her organization, take some time to research. Do a Google image search of the person’s photo or search the Internet for people who may have previously dealt with it. If a friend receives an unusual message or email from you, contact that friend directly to make sure he or she really sent the message or email.
• Do not open suspicious text or popup windows in email and do not click on links or attachments. Delete it. If in doubt, search various places to confirm the identity of the communicator. In this case you can search about their identity in phonebook or online. Again, do not use the detailed contact information that will be given in the message sent to you during the search.
• If someone calls and wants access to your computer, don’t agree. Even if they identify themselves as members of a well-known organization, they do not. Scammers will ask you to turn on the computer to solve a problem or install an upgrade for free. They then install viruses on the computer and steal passwords and personal information.
• Protect your personal information. Tear off the bill or any important paper before throwing it away. Also keep passwords and PIN numbers in a safe place. Be aware of how much you are sharing your personal information through social media. Scammers can use your information and pictures to open fake IDs. Or they may target and scam you.
• Protect your mobile device and computer. Use password protection at all times. Do not allow others to access your computer. Keep the security software updated and keep a backup of the content. Keep your WiFi network password protected. Don’t do online banking using public computers or Wi-Fi hotspots. And don’t share personal information with anyone.
• Be careful when setting passwords. Set a password that will be difficult for anyone else to guess. And change the password every few days. Passwords are stronger if they have lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and symbols. Do not use the same password on all accounts or profiles. Do not share any of your passwords with anyone else.
• Review your privacy and security settings on social media. If you use a social networking site like Facebook, be careful about who you are connecting with. Learn how to use your privacy and security settings to ensure you are safe online. If you see suspicious behavior, clicking on spam, or being the victim of an online scam, take steps to protect your account and report it.
• Be careful when you receive a request for detailed information or money. Never send money or give credit card and online account details or copies of personal documents to someone you do not know or trust. Do not agree to transfer money or goods to anyone else. Because money laundering is a legally punishable offense.
• Beware of unusual payment requests. Scammers will ask you to pay in various unusual ways. For example, they can be trapped by virtual currencies such as preloaded debit cards, gift cards, iTunes cards or bitcoins.
• Be careful when shopping online. Beware of offers that seem too believable and always use an online shopping service that you know and trust. Be careful before using virtual currencies like Bitcoin. Because, like other transaction methods, they have no guarantee. Once you pay, you will not receive a refund.
Try to follow these tips to be safe from scams.