The Internet has become an integral part of my life. I use it for chats, learning, reading news, viewing videos, transactions and much more. The Internet offers numerous advantages but comes with a host of dangers as well. Scammers are one of the greatest threats in the internet today. Numerous people suffer from the loss of money, accounts and personal information due to online scams each day. That's why I always try to be careful regarding my internet use.
The first thing I have learnt is that all the scammers are getting smarter each day. They may pretend to be a bank, company, friends or even family members. Often they send bogus messages that appear to be genuine. They play on peoples fears, use pressure and lies to deceive people. As a result, I always carefully consider trying to click on links and share personal data online.
My first line of defence is to avoid clicking on links that I don't know the source of. When I get messages from someone I don't know, I don't open any random links right away. I still take time to read the message even if it seems like it is pressing. There are some scammers that design fake websites, which resemble the actual websites. The scammers are able to trick people into entering their passwords or banking information, and then take the information. It is for this reason, one of the many, that I check double-check websites before logging in.
Another trick is to have strong passwords for all accounts. I saw that people do use simple passwords such as their names, birthdays, and that's how it becomes easy for them to hack into their accounts. I use various passwords and they are not easy to guess for different accounts. I also activate 2-factor authentication where available as it's an additional layer of security.
I've also discovered that you should not believe everything that you get on the internet. Social media is full of numerous bogus giveaways and investment schemes. There are some scammers who will tell individuals they can make them a lot of money quickly only to get their personal information or steal their cash. One day I saw a message saying that I had won lots of money! I was excited, but after examining it I saw that there were a lot of weird things about the message. They also used bad grammar, and requested a “processing fee” to receive the prize. I was then able to see it as it was a scam. Since then I've taken extra precautions.
Needless to say, phishing scams are one of the most dangerous scams in these days. The scams are hazardous as they are targeting a personal information like passwords, bank information, and account access. Scammers send fake e-mails or messages that appear as though they are official. A number of people become victims of these frauds as the messages are convincing and seem urgent. People can be fooled into believing that the message comes from their bank or social media site when, in fact, their account has been hacked. I feel phishing scams are quite harmful since they could impact monetary and personal privacy.
I have been a victim of online scam a few times, but have never lost any money to them. Some time ago, one person, I suppose a friend, made up an account with my name. Asked me to send money urgently and pressured me to do so. I felt something was amiss, and I called my true friend right away and found out that it was a fake. The lesson I learnt from that is that no decisions will be made online in a rush because people are always tricked by the urge to hurry by the scammers.
Another one of my tactics to stay safe online is to make sure I keep my apps and devices up to date. Some updates might be stressful and not necessary, but they are needed to address security issues. I also don't download files from unknown sites since there could be viruses/malware in the files. These destructive applications can be installed on phones and computers without the owners realizing it, and can access information.
There is also an issue of how what people post online should also be taken with a pinch of salt. Personal information is collected on social media by some scammers. They can deceive others by using their pictures, birthday, phone number and other information. Due to this, I have gone to great lengths to not post too much personal information on social media.
I tell everybody, be aware and don't trust people on the internet. If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is a scam. Individuals should always confirm the information before taking any action. Ask questions if you need to, rather than be sorry. There is a need to also reach out to older people and children as they are potential targets of scammers.
I think there's a greater possibility that scammers will continue to develop on the Internet, but awareness and caution can help us stay safe. The Internet should be a place for learning, growth and connection, not fear and loss. It's me, I'll keep on being careful, protecting my accounts and the others should do the same. A wrong decision at a single time can put someone through a very painful experience.