Phishing, vishing, spoofing, smishing – scammers are forever devising new ways to trick us online or through devices such as our mobile phones. In this article, myLIFE explains how to spot the danger and sets out the steps we can all take to stay safe.
Anyone using the internet, whether to make payments, communicate or just search for information, is a potential target for cybercriminals. This type of criminal activity involves fraudulently obtaining or trying to obtain something from another person, such as money or login details for banking apps.
Thieves and hackers rely on individuals being careless or unaware of the threat, and they have been particularly active and ingenious since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Nobody is completely immune to the danger, but knowing what to look out for can help us avoid difficult situations. After all, forewarned is forearmed. With that in mind, let’s go through some of the main categories of cyber scam and the habits that will help us avoid being duped.
The most well-known cyber scam is called phishing. This form of cyberattack, which preys on any gullibility and weakness you may have, involves tricking you with fake emails containing links to fraudulent websites that look almost identical to genuine banking or transactional sites. The aim is to harvest your personal data, banking details or other sensitive information, either by using spyware or by getting you to disclose it without even realising that you’re not on the original website you thought you were visiting. As soon as you open an attachment or click on a link, you’re already on the hook.
Here are a few top tips to help you avoid nasty surprises:
Spoofing is where a hacker steals someone’s electronic identity to commit crimes online.
Spoofing is where a hacker steals someone’s electronic identity (domain name, email address or IP address) to commit crimes online. Attacks fall into one of three categories. Email spoofing involves sending you emails from existing addresses. When you open them, they infect your computer with a virus. IP spoofing involves taking over an IP address. Lastly, smart spoofing is where a hacker uses the victim’s IP address to gain access to their apps and, in some instances, take down their firewalls. This scam allows the cybercriminal to conceal their true identity by hiding behind someone else’s. That’s why this type of attack is often very hard to detect.
However, there are several clues that could alert you to a potential threat. Here’s how to spot them:
Don’t click on the link in the email – open your banking website in your browser instead. And remember that we’re not just talking about your computer or tablet. You should be just as careful when you’re browsing the internet on your smartphone or if someone calls you.
Based on the same principle as phishing, smishing is a technique that involves using text messages to try to steal your data, for example by prompting you to update your details. There is almost no chance that your bank will contact you by text, and no chance at all that it will do so to ask for your personal data. Messages like this are always sent via secure messaging.
You can avoid falling victim to smishing by getting into the right habits:
Any suggestion of urgency or compulsion should set the alarm bells ringing. Don’t let anyone put you under pressure.
Emails and text messages are not the only channels used by hackers. Have you ever received a phone call from an unknown or suspicious number? Has a warning popped up on your computer screen about a supposed problem, instructing you to call a freephone number for technical support? If so, these could have been attempts at vishing. With vishing (a combination of “voice” and “phishing”), the hacker will try to get you to do something they claim is in your best interests. Of course, it’s nothing of the sort!
But there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself against attempted fraud.
However scammers try to target you, always take the time to contact your bank via the official channels if you’re unsure. Your bank will offer advice and help you to the best of its ability, even if the damage has already been done.
Cyber scams, which exploit our blind spots and trust, are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated. Endlessly creative hackers are constantly coming up with new ways to get their hands on our personal and banking data. But it’s entirely possible to avoid these pitfalls and protect sensitive information by getting into the right habits and staying calm. As a general rule, you will never be asked for login details or passwords over the phone or via any means of communication other than the official website or app used by your bank or a public authority. If you have any doubts, stop what you’re doing and call your bank or the public authority directly.
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