Author: Norbert Webb, cybersecurity expert.
Online scams are becoming more and more common, and they can be difficult to spot as scammers become more sophisticated. Here are some of the most common website scams, what you should do if you encounter one, and how you can protect yourself from online scams.
An online scam is a fraudulent scheme designed to take your money or personal information. Scammers can create fake websites that look identical to legitimate ones, or they may send emails that appear to be from a real person or company but are actually fake. Sometimes scams come in the form of a pop up, or even a text message to your cell phone with a link to a fraudulent website.
Here are some of the most common online scams out there at the moment:
Phishing
This is when a scammer tries to trick you into giving them your personal information, like your password or credit card number, by masquerading as a trustworthy source. They may do this by sending you an email that looks like it’s from your bank or another company, and asking you to click on a link to update your information. Or, they may create a fake website that looks identical to a legitimate one. If you do enter your information on a phishing site, the scammer can then use it to commit fraud.
You can protect yourself from phishing scams by not clicking on links or opening attachments in emails unless you’re absolutely sure they’re from a trusted source. If you’re not sure, go to the company’s website directly instead of clicking on the link.
Pop-Ups On Suspicious Websites
Another common scam is when you’re browsing the internet and a pop-up window appears, often with a fake virus or malware warning. The message might say something like “your computer has been infected, click here to download our anti-virus software.” But if you do click on the link, you will actually end up downloading malware onto your computer. There’s another scam at the moment that says “your iPhone has been hacked“, and you should read up on specific advice about how to deal with this scam.
This type of scam can be difficult to spot, as the pop-ups may look like they’re from a legitimate website or company. If you see a pop-up that looks suspicious, do not click on it and immediately close the window.
Smishing
Smishing is similar to phishing but instead of using email, scammers will send text messages to try and trick you. They may pretend to be from your bank or another company, and ask you to click on a link or call a phone number to update your information. But if you do click on the link or call the number, you will be giving the scammer your personal information.
As with phishing scams, you can protect yourself from smishing by not clicking on links or calling phone numbers in text messages unless you’re absolutely sure they’re from a trusted source. If you’re not sure, go to the company’s website directly to find out the legitimate contact information, instead of clicking on the link or calling the number.
Vishing
Vishing is another type of scam where scammers will try to trick you into giving them your personal information, but instead of using email or text messages, they will use phone calls. The caller may pretend to be from your bank or another company, and say there’s been suspicious activity on your account. They may then ask you to verify your information by entering it into a website or keypad, or they may ask you to transfer money to a different account.
As with other scams, you can protect yourself from vishing by not giving out your personal information to anyone who calls you, even if they say they’re from a legitimate company. If you’re not sure, hang up and call the company back using the number on their website or on your latest statement.
Malware
This is a type of software that’s designed to damage your computer or give scammers access to your personal information. Malware can be installed on your computer without you even knowing it, often through email attachments or by clicking on a link to a malicious website. Once it’s installed, malware can do things like delete files, send spam emails from your account, or give scammers access to your personal information.
You can protect yourself from malware by using a good anti-virus program, and being careful about what emails you open and what links you click on. If you think your computer has been infected with malware, you can run a scan with your anti-virus software to try and remove it. You can also use an online virus scanner to regularly check your computer for malware.
How Can You Spot An Online Scam?
There are a few things you can look for that may indicate you’re dealing with a scammer, such as poor grammar and spelling. This is often a sign that the website or email isn’t legitimate, as scammers may not take the time to proofread their messages.
A sense of urgency is something else to look out for. Scammers will often try to create a sense of urgency in their communications in order to get you to act quickly without thinking. For example, they may say your account has been compromised and you need to act now to protect it, or it could be a ransomware scam.
Another thing to look out for is a request for personal information. Legitimate companies will never ask for your password or credit card number via email or pop-up. If you see a request for this type of information, it’s a sure sign you’re dealing with a scammer.