Online scams can lead to lost money, identity theft, and credit card fraud. Be on the lookout for warning signs like a website or link that looks suspicious.
Scams such as the Monzo scam are designed to take advantage of your feelings. They may ask you for your bank account information or promise a large inheritance.
Website Scams
Website scams can be a major problem, as they allow criminals access to sensitive information such as passwords, account logins, credit card numbers and more. Scammers often set up fake websites to trick victims into submitting this data and can then use it for illicit activities. They can also use these sites as a gateway to install malware or other malicious software on your device and hijack your account credentials.
There are several ways to avoid falling victim to website scams. You can avoid scams by being vigilant and checking the legitimacy of websites before you make any payments or give out personal information. You can also look up a domain or URL to see when it was registered and if there are any red flags. If a website requires you to pay with iTunes gift cards or wire money to a PayPal address that is unfamiliar, this could be a red flag.
A scam website can also be identified by its design and content. A fake site is often characterized by low-resolution photos and a general lack professionalism. A fake site can be identified by its poor spelling, grammar or awkward phrasing.
Do not hesitate to report a website that you believe is a scam to Google via their Safe Browsing Page. This can stop other users from visiting it and prevent the scammers from obtaining your personal information. You can also freeze any cards that were used for purchases and contact your bank in order to reverse any suspicious transactions.
Messaging App Scams
Scammers are increasingly targeting users through messaging apps such as WhatsApp, LINE and Snapchat. Cybercriminals are able to take advantage of this trusting environment, as well as the large number of users, on these platforms, in order carry out frauds such phishing, malware distribution, and ransomware. In addition, criminals can use messaging apps to pose as government agencies to lure victims and request personal information or money. These scams often require a sense of urgency to manipulate victims into taking action, such as downloading fake antivirus software or paying a fine to avoid legal penalties.
Scammers may also use these services for romance and investment frauds. The former involves crooks posing as people in need of financial assistance, while the latter involves convincing victims to invest in phony cryptocurrency exchanges that they control. Scammers can also pose as employers and ask job applicants to pay for background checks or training. Scammers also use the privacy settings in messaging apps for sextortion. Criminals threaten to publish private information online unless their victims pay them money.
Text message scams are very common and anyone can be affected. Scammers can impersonate friends and family members by spoofing the name, location or even voice of those people to convince you to click a link. They can also pretend as a trusted provider of services, such a two-factor authenticator service or a financial institution, and request your credentials.
Messages that come from unknown numbers can be suspicious, but they are even more suspect if the message contains links or attachments. Be cautious if you get a message from your friend, as it could have been sent by a hacked account.
Email Scams
Email scams are phishing attacks that use emails to trick recipients into providing sensitive data or placing them in a situation where they can exploited. Emails can impersonate trusted businesses (such as Microsoft or PayPal) and use phrases such as “virus detected in your account” to trick victims into clicking a link to download a fake antivirus or entering their username and password.
Criminals know people are more impulsive under pressure, and they will often respond without even thinking. They create messages that convey a sense urgency and a feeling of time constraint. For example, a fraudulent offer that is delivered through email may urge the recipient to act immediately or risk losing their chance at winning something if they don’t.
To protect your team from email scams you should educate them and make sure they are aware of their different types. This will help to stop them from clicking a link that could cost their company hours or even days of downtime as a result of one bad click.
It is important to train your team to look out for signs that an e-mail might be a phishing scam. These include a URL or an attachment that does not match the sender’s name, grammatical errors in the email body, and an email that fails email authentication checks such as Sender Policy Framework and DomainKeys Identified mail and DMARC. It’s important to train your employees on how they can back up their data, and how to identify a phishing website.
Mobile Payment Scams
Apps such as Venmo and Cash App allow you to send money using your smartphone. Once the money has been sent, it is very difficult to retrieve it. Scammers use this fact to target people selling items online or who need to quickly transfer funds for a real estate transaction or other reason.
A typical scam involves someone posing as the customer service department of one of these apps and convincing you to download an app or program that verifies your account. This allows the scammer to gain access to your digital wallet, which can then be used to make fraudulent purchases on your behalf.
Another type of mobile payments scam involves a phishing email that appears to originate from the service providers. You may be asked to call a phone number to “confirm your order” or to verify your credit card or identity. The fake number actually connects you with a scammer that can convince you to share your private information.
Scareware
Scareware uses social engineering to convince users to download malicious software, or buy non-functional programs. It also infects computers with fake antivirus software that harvests user data and exposes sensitive files to criminals. It can lead to a host of other cyber attacks, including ransomware, which holds data hostage for a payment.
Scareware is delivered online via social media, email, and search engines. The attacker will often spoof the sender’s address to appear as though the message is coming from a legitimate source. These scams, also known as “baiting”, can be very effective.
The scareware is activated when a user clicks a fake ad, or visits a malicious site. It then displays unwanted desktop ads, phony error messages, and false antivirus alerts. These pop-ups incite a sense of fear and urgency that convinces victims to take action. This can result in a loss of personal data, money and even time for the victim.
Even after removing the fake software from a device, there could still be traces that can be used to steal more information about you or to launch other cyberattacks. Ad blockers, along with other cybersecurity tools, are crucial in preventing malicious software from infiltrating your device and triggering scareware.
Platforms can prevent scareware or other malware from appearing on their site by restricting which products, features, extensions and ads are allowed to appear. They can also use behavior monitoring and security analytics to detect suspicious activities.
