Digital fraudsters, scammers, and spammers are everywhere, lurking behind every click of the mouse and lurking around every corner of the Internet. They want to steal your money and your identity, and you’ll never know they’re there until it’s too late. Fortunately, with these tips shared by the Faisal Abidi of RNF Technologies on how to stay safe from digital fraudsters, scammers, and spammers, you can easily keep them out of your life so that you can make your money go further online!
Identify suspicious activity
Having protection in place can not only make your email less of a target for digital fraudsters and scammers, but it can also help if you fall victim to an attack. A good first step is to have anti-virus software installed on your computer. In addition, while you’re surfing online, be on high alert if you receive a message from someone who sounds like they don’t know you—or one that seems too good (or bad) to be true.
Don’t click on links or open emails from unknown senders
Staying safe from digital fraudsters means arming yourself with critical knowledge. One of those things is knowing not to click on any links or open emails from senders you don’t recognize. A good rule of thumb: If someone wants something in exchange for free online content or a big opportunity, be skeptical. Another thing: Be cautious about leaving personal information when filling out forms online.
Don’t give out personal information
When it comes to digital fraudsters, scammers, and spammers—as with any sort of scammer—the best policy is not to get into a conversation at all. Whether you’re on Facebook or eBay or LinkedIn or Craigslist (yes: Even Craiglist can be unsafe), don’t give out any personal information. Not your name. Not your email address. Not your home address.
Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
If a site offers 2FA, be sure to turn it on. This extra layer of security makes it harder for someone who has your username and password from stealing your account. Many sites (especially social media networks) offer 2FA through text messages or phone calls: When you log in from a new device or browser for the first time, it will send you a code that’s unique to you.
Use password manager
Protect yourself from fraudulent websites by using password managers. Today’s Internet is a dangerous place for your digital identity—and it’s getting riskier every day. Malicious bots are snatching passwords left and right, scammers are taking over email inboxes with amazing regularity, and spammers are flooding webmail accounts with advertisements.
Back up your devices
If you don’t back up your data regularly, you run a serious risk of losing all your important documents. Whether it’s a personal laptop or work computer, if you don’t protect your information with backups, hackers can steal them. To stay safe from digital fraudsters who want to exploit your information for financial gain, make sure all of your devices are backed up.
Avoid dangerous scams like bitcoin mining
There’s a good chance that you’ve heard of bitcoin mining by now—the act of using your computer or laptop to add currency into a cryptocurrency system. As it turns out, bitcoin mining can be an extremely lucrative process for digital fraudsters and scammers. One reason? Bitcoin mining is often invisible to users; after all, many don’t even know that their computers are being used in these systems!
Keep internet-connected devices updated and patched
Whether you use a laptop or tablet for work or play (or both), make sure it’s connected to Wi-Fi with updated security software. The same goes for your smartphone and all other mobile devices. Most major companies update their applications often—and your device needs these updates just as much as your PC does. Every patch helps you fight digital fraudsters, scammers, and spammers!
