Scams and fraudsters have been around for centuries, so it’s no surprise that they have taken to the internet now that it’s part of our lives.
In fact, Americans lost over $4.2 billion to online scams in 2020 according to the FBI, so it’s clearly a lucrative crime.
While we can’t stop being online, we can educate ourselves about common scams and how to avoid them.
To help you figure that out, we’re going to check out:
- Five of the most common online scams
- How each scam works
- How you’ll know you’re looking at a scam
- Stopping yourself from falling for it
Table of Contents
Understanding Online Scams and Protecting Yourself
You can protect yourself in a number of ways, but first, you need to know what scams look like.
1. Phishing
What is it?
Phishing emails are nearly as old as email itself. The premise is pretty simple – the cybercriminal will send you something like:
- An email
- A text message
- A message on social media
And trick you into clicking on a link. You’ll be asked to enter sensitive information like your banking credentials, thinking you’re on a legit site. The scammer then uses what you’ve given to steal your money or your identity.
What does it look like?
The emails and messages you receive can look convincing at first glance, with company logos and seemingly real sender emails. Look closer and you’ll spot odd grammar and capitalization. There’ll also be a sense of urgency to the messages.
Don’t fall for it
If you’re unsure if contact from a person or business is real, contact them directly how you normally would. As a general rule of thumb, no business will ask you to click on a link that you’ve not requested.
2. Digital kidnapping
What is it?
Although not quite as scary as a real kidnapping, a digital kidnapping takes over your social media profiles and demands a ransom to get them back. It can happen to both business and personal accounts and is usually down to someone guessing your password.
What does it look like?
The first you’ll probably know about a digital kidnapping is the message you get from the cybercriminal demanding money for the release of your Insta or TikTok. Your friends and family might also get messages claiming to be from you.
Don’t fall for it
A digital kidnap relies on the hacker being able to guess your password. This can come from a keystroke logging malware, so make sure you have a VPN like Surfshark to prevent that type of attack from finding your details.
Also ensure you’ve got two-factor authentication, or 2fa, turned on with all of your accounts.
3. Fast money
What is it?
Who doesn’t love the idea of quick money? Scammers prey on this natural desire and try to entice you to hand over your personal information or credit card details in exchange for a get-rich-quick scheme.
What does it look like?
You’ll see this scam in lots of forms, including:
- Pop-ups, like in our screenshot above
- In an email
- As a social media post
- In search results
But the premise is always the same; earn thousands of dollars with not much work and just a “small” fee.
Don’t fall for it
Like in the real world, online you should live by the adage, “if it looks too good to be true then it probably is”. You shouldn’t have to pay to start a job or to receive a bigger prize – be healthily skeptical.
4. Fake virus threats
What is it?
You’ll see a pop-up or new window telling you that your computer or phone has a virus and you must immediately click to download the only anti-virus software that can save you.
What does it look like?
The words used will be super urgent, like “Act now” or “Your computer is infected”. When you click on the link, you might end up with dangerous malware on your computer when you think you’re making it safe or you could pay for a tool that doesn’t work or doesn’t even exist.
Don’t fall for it
When you have safe online habits, you can be pretty sure that your computer isn’t, in fact, infected at all. It’s also worth making sure your phone and computer are all up to date – having the most up-to-date version of your operating system tends to be very good protection.
5. Fake shopping
What is it?
It’s hard to resist a good deal, and scammers know this. They set up websites that mirror your favorite brands but with huge discounts of up to 75 % on things like trainers and iPhones.
What does it look like?
The website will look really convincing, on the surface at least. You might notice inconsistencies with spelling and grammar or grainy images. The URL in your address bar will look just a little bit different, link Apple.co or Amazo.com for example. You’ll either receive fake goods or get nothing at all.
Don’t fall for it
This is another one that you need to use common sense – if it’s too good to be true… Be careful how to get to shopping websites, try typing the URL in yourself or finding them through Google rather than clicking on adverts.
While online scams are common, it’s pretty easy to protect yourself. If you keep your computer and phone up to date, use a VPN, and click and buy sensibly, you should be able to avoid the scammers’ grips.
There’s no image source because it leads to a scam website and we wouldn’t want a reader to accidentally click on it. The writer found it accidentally when she clicked on some ad in Torrent. It suits the topic well 🙂