Internet fraud is growing almost as quickly as the internet itself! As communication technology gets more sophisticated, online thieves and fraudsters are also getting smarter.
Whereas spam emails used to be fairly easy to spot with their claims of online wins, today’s scammers frequently use the same logo as your bank and tell you to “click here” to confirm your contact information.
Some con artists are even crafty enough to pretend to be officers of the Fraud Squad, giving fake names, details, and a number to call to “prove” they are telling the truth. All you need to do is give them the details of your savings accounts so that they can make sure that no one has stolen your funds (yet!).
Three crucial moves for not getting scammed
Here are 3 steps you can take to avoid becoming victim to online fraud:
- Don’t click on any unsolicited links or files that you receive in emails, even if they are from familiar addresses. Open a new browser window and go to the site in your usual way.
- Banks and financial institutions will never ask you for your password or ID by email. So even if the email looks genuine, don’t respond. Instead, log into your account and see if any messages are waiting for you there.
- If anything in an email looks suspicious, call the institution to verify that it is really from them.
For more information about the dangers of online fraud, click here.
Rich As A King
