There is the saying that “whatever has an advantage must have a disadvantage as well” and this is the case of the concept that I will be intimating you on “Internet Scam”. The world is a global village with an evolving trend in technology. All these efforts have actually been geared to make life better for the ever-increasing population. There is no doubt that the advantages of the internet cannot be overemphasized but it is also pertinent to point out that the disadvantages are also overwhelming as well.
Most people are quite familiar with some of these advantages and that’s ok. The purpose of this post is actually to educate you on the demerit that accompanies the use of the internet. Believe me when I say that the disadvantages are quite enormous and the fact that the world is gradually advancing into a stage where we can actually not do without the internet is the reason why you should take your time to read this because you know that you will definitely use the internet. So the big question is what is internet scam or fraud?
“Internet” and “scam” or “fraud” whichever way it is used means the same thing. The internet here provides the access while scam in this context is the activity which I will be telling you about. Internet fraud is basically the use of the internet or any tool (it might be an application) that requires an internet connection to deceive people. If you have read my previous post on how to make money online as a freelancer, you would have a little insight on how the internet provides access to the world even from the comfort of your living room. The same goes for internet scams. There are various ways people get scammed and this is very important for us to know as you do not have to wait until it actually happens to you.
Common online scams
Phishing scams
Internet scams do not just happen when you are using your computer or mobile phone, you get exposed once you get connected to the world. Imagine actually being connected to the world! Literally, that’s several billions of people with various backgrounds and intentions and this is the real problem. You get connected to the internet to check your email and you receive an email from your bank or Credit Card Company or delivery company and it looks so real. Notice that I said “your credit card company” for example, now that’s because that’s the idea behind phishing email. The scammers send you an email that looks like the real one you have been getting from your credit card company or bank as the case may be. Now, these guys are pro and they already have generic proposals they send out to the millions of people on their mailing list which means if one does not get to you then another just might work. Let’s look at a typical example, you receive an email saying that you are required to do some data verification with your bank following an upgrade in their systems. Now, this will definitely get your attention at first and then the next step is actually a life-determining one. Now let’s say you choose to ignore the message completely, it could actually be legitimate and your bank account gets blocked (but that’s not what we are looking at). Let’s say you actually respond to the email saying that you have actually verified your account or you haven’t, most likely, you will be asked to provide your bank details, credit card number and all the necessary information. Now once they have this information, they have access to your fund school and you know what that means. What then do you need to do or how can you identify a phishing email? Here are some useful tips for you.
1. Open your eyes: Well, it’s not just enough for you to open your eyes but for you to actually see what is expected of you. Like I did mention, most phishing emails or websites are identical to the original ones. However, there are always errors or ways to identify them.
Somehow, I receive several of these kinds of emails daily and I just decided to use one of them as an example. To start with, the moment I saw this I already knew it was a scam and you know why? I do not have an account with the said bank in the first place. Now, the same is applicable to anyone reading this post. The message might come from eBay or Amazon or a lottery company asking you to take part in a survey or that you have won a lottery. It could also be from a credit card company saying that there was an unauthorized access in your account among others. Irrespective of how genuine the email or website might look, you already know you have no account on eBay or Amazon or the said credit card company so that should give you heads up. How can you win a lottery when you did not even participate in any lottery competition in the first place? These are possible questions that you should ask yourself and by the time you pause and answer these questions, you are actually closer to avoiding a phishing scam. Looking further at this particular email takes us to another way of identifying a phishing scam.
2. Check the web address: Checking the web address in this context is not for you to actually click on the link. Clicking on the link is, in reality, one of the overall essence of sending you the phishing email in the first place and once you click on it, you are one step closer to being trapped in the hornets’ nest. The first thing you should do is to move your mouse over to the link. This is actually something I would want all readers of this post to actually practice and see for themselves. Pick one of your emails from a verified source, move your mouse over to the attached link and you would notice that the web address is corresponding with that of the company’s at the bottom left of your screen. On the other hand, moving my mouse over to the attached link in this example, I noticed that the link appearing is actually looking weird and it’s likely going to take me to an entirely different website, so in such cases, all you have to do is look but don’t click.
3. Be analytical: Most phishing emails as I have already mentioned are generic. Obviously, the scammers do not have all the information about you and as such, the message is always vague. As a matter of fact, go through all the emails you have received from your bank or credit card company or any company you actually have an account with, you will notice that they actually address you by your name for example, “Dear Wesley Jones” and not something like “Dear Valued Customer”. Take a look at the example below!
In this section, I am imploring all readers to be analytical, to open their eyes before they as you might just be one click away from doom. To start with, I remember that I did send Payoneer an email and I actually do have a Payoneer account which actually arouses my interest the moment I received the email. Then take a look at the email address, it is legit, unlike the first example where the email is just gibberish. Furthermore, the customer was addressed personally “Dear Chijioke Nwuga” and not vaguely as “Dear Valued Customer”. Also, always look out for spelling errors as this is very common among all phishing .
Other forms of scams?
Malware/Scareware
File Sharing programs and networks
Warez
Advance fee fraud
IMPERSONATION
Spamming
Empty Victim’s Bank
Make Online Purchase
Tabbaz.
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