5 Tips To Protect Yourself From Online Scams
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Cyber criminals are constantly using new ways to scam
users online through fake website or emails.
Although there are many ways for scammers to perform
fraud, you can protect yourself from online scams by
following the tips.
1. Know who you are dealing with
It is critical to know who you are dealing with. After all, you do not know the person personally. You may perform an online search for the company name, website, address and look for reviews. Take note of the negative experience reported by others, and make sure you trust them before dealing with them.
2. Do not click on hyperlinks or open an attachment
Common online scam involves sending emails that ask the recipient to click on a hyperlink to enter personal information or open an attachment. By doing so, you are risking yourself to a security breach. Such emails are also able to infect your computer with malicious viruses and steal important data. The Better Business Bureau recommends ignoring any emails that make such requests.
3. Do not reveal sensitive information easily
There are emails that will try to trick you into revealing personal information. Do not reveal sensitive information such as your credit card number easily. Make sure that the person you are dealing with is trustworthy. Before entering your card details on a website, make sure the link is secure.
4. Avoid Suspicious Website
Beware of website that has poor design or multiple pop-up windows, it might not be a legitimate company. To stay safe, stick with well-known companies or companies with familiar payment systems, such as PayPal.
To verify if it is a secure site further, look for website that has web address containing https and not http.
5. Learn to Use Web Browser's Enhanced Security Features
The latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome have enhanced support for checking certificates from trusted web sites, where you can click on the lock icon to see all the information about the certificate.
Learn how to identify a secured site with different browsers below with IT Solution examples:
Example 1: Secured Site for Internet Explorer
Example 2: Secured Site for Mozilla Firefox
Example 3: Secured Site for Google Chrome
Such Security Certificates are acquired by companies to serve as a digital proof that allows data to be transmitted over secure networks, thus protecting financial and credit card transactions, membership sign ups, web access to email, intranets and sensitive information. To attain the security certificate, company will go through a series of checks by the certificate provider to ensure that the site is safe and authentic. This gives users/customers a peace of mind. Companies can acquire their Security Certificates here.
Furthermore, the latest browser versions maintain a list of phishing and malware sites which will warn you any time you try and access a bad site. Internet Explorer makes checking the URL even easier by highlighting the root domain name so you can more easily detect a new phishing site.
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