Frauds And Online Scams Have Become More Prevalent – Here’s How to Prevent Them

November 17, 2024

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Frauds and online scams have become more prevalent in recent years and we all need to be aware of the fact and on the look out for them. let’s take a look today at why these have risen, how they present themselves and what we can do to protect ourselves to and to prevent them.

How scams have risen online

Social media has become a huge part of the way we entertain and inform ourselves and of course a huge part of incentivising us in our shopping habits. Scammers target social media users by offering products that do not exist or they don’t provide but get you to want them with fake claims and alluring adverts. How easy it is to pay for something without checking out the stores credentials Just a few clicks and your card information and monies are gone. The more social media we consume the more we lay ourselves wide open to this and our appetite grows all the time.

Email scams

And of course how busy we all are these days and how many of us work at home. Emails come thick and fast and oh it is so simple to believe an emails saying you need to pay for a parcel delivery or that you owe a copyright fee on a photo and you just to pay up when actually you aren’t dealing with a company at all just a scammer.

Dating

And online dating? SO many people now go online to meet their partners and get scammed by fakers in fact according Federal Trade Commission said there were $1.3 billion in losses from romance scams in the last 5 years. isn’t that just shocking!

Gambling and gaming sites

In case you have fallen into a card scam relating to any gambling or gaming site, your next steps need to be more specific. Casinoalpha describes 4 steps that you must take. Also, never forget that once a breach to your safety has happened, you also need to change all your security keys, like passwords and PINs. It is also recommended to set up 2-factor authentication.

I could go on and on and on about the different types of online frauds and scams there are but you probably (sadly) have either experienced a couple yourself or know someone who has. The big and important question is how do we prevent them?

10 ways to prevent online frauds and scams

Preventing online fraud and scams requires f awareness, safe online practices, and using technology wisely. Here are several effective strategies to reduce your risk:

Use unique passwords across your accounts so if one is hacked the others are safe
Never share your password with anyone.
Use hard to guess passwords so you are not easily hacked.
Never send money to anyone you meet on a dating app no matter how big the sob story or how charming you match may be.
Avoid sharing you are away form home on social media. Also avoid oversharing personal information on social media that could be used in identity theft (e.g., your birth date, address, or personal history). Stranger danger is not just for kids.
Check and double check any emails you receive asking for you to log in to an account. Does the senders email look correct? Is everything spelled correctly?
If an approach looks too good to be true it probably is, be hyper aware. Especially be cautious of unsolicited offers or calls that pressure you into making quick decisions, such as urgent requests to transfer money, click a link, or provide information.
If you are informed you have won a competition you did not enter then it is probably a scam. Do not respond. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. Hover over links to see where they actually lead before clicking.
Be wary of logging into online banking accounts when you are in a shared public space so your details are not overseen or picked up on someone else’s connection.
Look for HTTPS in the URL and a padlock icon in the address bar, which indicates that the site is secure.

Educate Yourself and Others

Learn more about fraud prevention by taking online security courses, many of which are free and cover common scams and fraud attempts and how to protect against them.
Share what you know with family and friends to help them avoid online scams. Elderly people and those unfamiliar with technology may be particularly vulnerable. Always pass on any frauds or scams you are alerted too.
Prevention is always better than cure so keep your eyes and ears open to common scams currently doing the rounds and stay mindful.

By being vigilant, applying these practices, and keeping abreast of the latest fraud prevention techniques, you can greatly reduce your chances of falling victim to online scams and frauds.