Scammers are always looking for a way to defraud people, they are constantly coming up with new tricks to extort people of their hard earned money.
Internet has made the work of fraudsters easier because they can deceive people with fake information and that makes it very difficult to find who they really are.
But with the following prevention strategies, you can avoid being scammed online.
How to avoid Scamming
Don’t give your personal or financial information to suspicious websites or Apps.
Any website that you want to give your information to, check the top left corner to make sure they are using SSL Certificate. You will see a locked padlock, if it’s not there, Don’t give your information.
There are honest review websites where you can see what other people are saying about the website you want do transaction with.
Some of the trusted reviews websites are:
- Trustpilot.com
- Trustradius.com
- Google customer reviews, and many more
Though not all of the reviews are actually from real customers but many are. And you can use such reviews to determine how good the company is.
Avoid website that keeps redirecting you to another URL or with too many ads asking you to take action.
Ignor emails from Unknown sources
You might be getting unsolicited emails asking you to register for a service, make a donation, or that your social media account has been hacked, or someone need your help to transfer money.
Delete or ignore those messages, they will claim to be from popular companies that you know but don’t trust them.
I once received email that someone tried to login to my facebook account and that i have to provide my personal information and change my password to have access to my account again.
I almost fall for it but after thorough check i found out that it was a fake email.
How do i know if i am talking to a scammer?
They will ask you to quickly make payments.
They will ask you to make changes in your account.
They will claim that you won a lottery.
You have never had a deal with a company that is contacting you.
They may know your name, date of birth, and address don’t let that fool you.
You should talk to someone you trust.
Check online to see what others are saying about the company.
They will claim that you have a virus and need to clean your computer or phone.
They will pretend to be in trouble and ask for your help.
What to do if you have been scammed?
Immediately contact your bank and ask them if they can stop the transaction.
Don’t contact the scammer again.
Report to the appropriate authorities.
Talk to someone you trust.
Check online forums like quora to see if someone has been scammed the same way and how did they tackle it.
You can anonymously share your experience online and ask for solutions. However, you need to be careful with this, don’t allow anyone claiming to help you collect your information.
Conclusion
Above i mentioned how to avoid fraudsters.
In most cases it starts with giving out your personal information to fraudulent websites.
Make sure any website you are giving your information to is secured and trusted.
Tell the preventive measures you are taking to avoid being scammed online.
