There have been internet scams since the dawn of the World Wide Web. These scammers connect with their targets directly, press you to send money or private information and rely on your emotions—empathy, loneliness, sadness, greed, etc.
These cyber-threats range from simple to more targeted and complex, but there are a few recurring themes in prevalent internet schemes that you will likely encounter at some point if you haven’t already.
Most Common Internet Scams
Phishing scams attempt to trick you into revealing your personal information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers. Scammers often send emails or text messages that appear to be from legitimate companies, such as banks, credit card companies, or government agencies. They may also create fake websites that look like real websites.
Fake shopping websites sell counterfeit products or no products at all. They often have low prices and offer free shipping to attract customers. Once you place an order, you may receive a fake or no product at all, and your credit card information may also be stolen.
Romance scams trick people into falling in love with them and then steal their money. Scammers often create fake profiles on dating websites and social media platforms to gain their victims’ trust. Then, they’ll ask for information or money, such as to help them with a financial emergency or to pay for travel expenses. This is commonly referred to as catphishing.
Fake social media accounts may be entirely made up or impersonate real people. The catfish behind the phony page may also send spam messages or post links to malicious websites.
Mobile scams may use vishing (voice phishing, via telephone call), smishing (SMS phishing, taking place over text), or other tricks to convince the target to download malware or reveal personal information. They may also create fake apps that look real but steal your data when you open them.
These are just a few commonplace internet scams that cyber criminals will use to scam you out of money and information. You should be careful when anyone asks for money, favors, or personal information online, especially when you don’t know them.
Other Scams You Might Encounter
Investment scams: Scammers promise investors high returns on their investments, but they are fake.
Tech support scams: Scammers call people claiming to be from a tech support company and offer to fix their computers. They may then charge them for unnecessary services, steal their personal information, or ghost them.
Lottery and sweepstakes scams: Scammers tell people they have won a lottery or sweepstakes, but they need to pay a fee to claim their prize.
Charity scams: Scammers impersonate legitimate charities and ask for donations.
It is essential to be aware of the different ways that internet scams approach you online and the tactics they use when they do. If you receive an email, text message, or phone call from someone asking for your personal information or money, be suspicious. NEVER click on links or provide any information until you’ve verified the sender’s legitimacy.
Be careful about what information you share online. Investigate or report suspicious emails, text messages, websites, and apps that ask for your personal information or money. Do not click on any links or provide any information until you have verified the sender’s legitimacy. Only download apps from trusted app stores, and make sure you’re always keeping programs and software up to date because the newer versions often include security patches that can help protect your devices from malware. You should also be wary of any offers or promises that seem too good to be true. Someone is trying to con you if it appears too good to be true.
One of the best safety measures is to use a strong password manager to create and manage unique passwords for all your online accounts. These programs share passwords across all your logged-in devices and create long, unique passwords that are harder to crack!
If you think you have been a victim of an internet scam, report it to the authorities, your company, and even the impersonated organization. You should report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint.
Commonwealth Sentinel will help you face your organization’s growing cyber security threats. We can evaluate your existing IT security and work with your team to protect your data and assets. At Commonwealth Sentinel, we stay focused on cyber security so you can focus on other things. Contact us today or sign up for a free consultation.