Scams and frauds are unavoidable in our daily lives (sadly). And this evil side of human nature has expanded into the digital realm, with numerous internet scams and frauds occurring on a daily basis.
Businesses, as well as ordinary customers, are victims of such criminal activities. Online fraud is equally as damaging to organizations as to general users, if not more so in some cases. However, there are methods to protect yourself from being a victim of cyber criminals’ fraudulent activities. And here in this article we will be providing you with a list of some of the fool-proof ways to prevent online fraud from happening to you personally or with your business. So stick with us to stay safe.
Table of Contents
Choose a Reliable Connection
While this is an important first step in having a secure online presence, it is sometimes overlooked. When we discover free Wi-Fi at our favorite neighborhood coffee shop or library, we all will gladly connect our gadgets. While we are certain that a decent café will not invade your privacy or hijack your device, we cannot guarantee that every other public Wi-Fi network will. Why would a random “Starbucks FREE Wi-Fi” connect you without asking for anything in return?
We recommend acquiring a dependable connection from an ISP like Spectrum for your home and business as well. Spectrum offers a reliable connection that comes with a FREE antivirus and Nationwide free Wi-Fi so that you can stay protected while you are on the go. Simply contact Spectrum Customer Service and get yourself an amazing connection.
Don’t Share Your Financial Data
Don’t just Google and click on the first result that comes up if you’ve recently opened an account someplace and are seeking for their online banking service. A skilled SEO expert might be a fraudster. As a result, make sure you download the official app and submit your information there. Furthermore, bear in mind that your bank will NEVER ask for personal or financial information by email or text message. As a result, avoid falling for such ruses. If you continue to get similar emails requesting your personal information, contact your bank using their official phone number and inform them of your concern.
Keep Your Passwords To Yourself
Even if this is self-evident, we want to make sure you remember not to share your password with anybody. Not even your closest family or friend, to be sure. Also, don’t save a list of all your passwords on any device. If your laptop falls into the hands of a thief after you forget to log out, they may be able to gain access to all of your accounts by knowing your passwords from the “My passwords” document. Don’t be so naive!
Use VPN When Using Public Wi-Fi
Use a VPN whenever you’re using Wi-Fi in a public place or at a friend’s house. All data sent from your smartphone will be converted into an encrypted language that only your device understands. In this way, no intruder will be able to get access to your personal data. Some of the best free VPNs to download on your device include the following:
- ProtonVPN
- Windscribe
- hide.me
- Hotspot Shield
Don’t Respond to Unsolicited Calls or Emails
Ever get a message from a company asking you if you need a remote job and offering a handsome package? Well if you are thinking: “This might be my lucky day, a crypto giant asking me to join them by just filling out a form?” We feel bad to be the bearer of bad news but, probably they are a scam. No tech giant would randomly message you over WhatsApp to join them by filling out a form that has a shady URL. Whenever you receive such messages, your first instinct should be to report and block them and NEVER click on the shady links. The minute you click on the link, your information, and important data will get leaked and your device might get totally hacked.
Don’t Click on Every Other Link
No platform is free from ads these days. And that is actually how most of them are earning-i.e., by marketing. But there are so many scams out there disguised in the form of luring ads that it is best to just not click on links attached with these ads. So, next time you see an intimate YouTube short asking you to click on the link in the description or comments for a full view, just DON’T do that.
If you are tired of all these ads and can’t help yourself from clicking when you see something attractive, download an ad-blocker. You won’t see ads in the first place. There are many free ad blockers out there some of which are as below:
- AdBlock
- AdBlock Plus
- Ghostery
- Stands Fair Adblocker
- uBlock Origi
Or if you aren’t already using one, try switching to browsers like:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Opera Browser
To Wrap it all up,
While it is amazing how you can carry your transactions, complete your complex projects, and communicate internally and internationally using the internet and other related technology, there is always some threat associated with it. But the good news is that by employing the tips discussed above, you can prevent online frauds from ruining your experience and carrying out your tasks safely and smoothly.
