Tips to Stay Safe from Online Scams and Fraudsters

No one wants to fall prey to online scams and end up losing valuable information or money because of that. Yet the sad truth is that online frauds and scams are on a steady rise these days. As technological advancements have paved way for us to make use of the internet for varied purposes, scammers have also equipped themselves with new ideas to con internet users. That is why any digital marketing agency worth its salt would tell you to be aware of the risks of doing online transactions and/or using internet-based applications for personal or business use. At the same time, they would also recommend learning how to protect yourself from such swindlers.

How to Protect Yourself from Online Scams

It is seen that most fraudsters target internet users who have little to no idea of how online scams work. For instance, many novice users consider phishing emails with flashy messages and fake offers as an exclusive deal and click on the links in the email instantly. Eventually, they end up losing their valuable data or money before even realizing what happened. In fact, online scams can happen in a lot of ways, and draining money and information are just a few examples of that. So the first step to avoid scams is to have good knowledge of them.

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Apparently, there is no point in whining after making a mistake. It is just like not reading the fine prints on an online shopping website about returns and refunds before purchasing from the site and then wondering what to do with the wrong item. For that reason, it is always advised to be cautious and smart when using internet payment gateways or when shopping online. Below are some practical tips to stay safe from online scams and frauds.

Always Use a Secured Portal

You should make certain to use a trusted and secured portal for online purchases, especially when entering your sensitive financial information on the website or app. Verify the website’s security by checking the URL of the site; there would be fewer chances of phishing attacks if it starts with “https”. Similarly, you can check the website’s security certificate too. If you feel that the site is not secured or it looks suspicious, then do not proceed with the transaction.

Think before you Click

Never click on a link that appears on random emails or text messages right away. Make sure that the link redirects to the page it is supposed to by hovering over it. It would be even better if you look up the source in question directly on the browser instead of clicking on the link. Do not let children play with internet-enabled devices either, as they can easily mistake a colorful and glitzy spammy message for something interesting.

Keep your Device and Software Updated

All genuine e-commerce sites and social media platforms would release regular security patches to keep their apps updated and away from potential threats. Therefore, it is very important to download and install the updates released for your apps and software as soon as they are available. Likewise, browsers and firewalls should also be updated from time to time, so that you can stay safe from online scammers by having the latest security definitions installed on your device.

Aside from the above, you should also make sure not to share personal information or financially sensitive data over the internet to anyone. In addition, you should keep an eye on your account activities regularly as well, so that you can report any unauthorized action to the officials in time and take adequate action against it.