Online scams – what to watch out for?

These days, you don’t need force or threats to steal from another person – just access to the Internet. Online fraud is a growing problem because online criminals are becoming more specialized in their heinous craft. Cybercrimes now include pishing and several other ways to seize other people’s data and money. How to recognize them and not to be fooled? We suggest.

The rise of online crimes in a time of pandemonium

The increase in online crimes, increasingly popular and without, turns out to be one of the effects of the current pandemic. Not only is this type of crime becoming more common, but it is also becoming more specialized and well thought out. New types of security features and making the public aware of the lurking dangers are being met with finding more and more ways to commit fraud and scams. It is estimated that every year even half a billion users around the world are scammed through the Internet

What is cybercrime?

The definition of cybercrime boils down to those types of crimes that take place through computers or electronic devices. Criminal activities can be done to extort money, steal passwords, steal files from someone else’s computer, track another person’s activities, or eavesdrop on them

Types of crimes on the network

Nowadays we can encounter very different types of crimes considered as cybercrime. The most popular are:

• phishing – this type of fraud involves impersonating another person or institution just to phish for confidential information. Off the Internet, this type of fraud is used in “trick-or-treat” phone calls, which seniors regularly fall victim to. Of course, electronic crimes are being carried out in an increasingly sophisticated manner. They use programs that are harmful to the user’s computer and help to steal sensitive data. Cyber criminals also often take advantage of a user’s mistakes, e.g. when they are in a hurry and cannot tell the difference between their bank’s website and a very similar one sent to them by criminals;
• skimming – not strictly a network crime, but also a major threat associated with the development of modern electronic technologies. It is a case of criminals copying the code from a credit or ATM card and uploading it onto a duplicate. In this way criminals gain access to the funds on the robbed person’s account;
• malware – this term refers to a type of malicious software. It infects a computer or mobile device in order to gain access to it without the user’s knowledge. It is a prelude to many other crimes;
• identity theft – impersonating someone using their identity or likeness;
• software piracy – theft of intellectual property can also be carried out over a network
• stalking – persistently following and harassing another person.

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How not to get scammed online?

Many of the online crimes are easiest to combat through your own forethought. The basis is a comprehensive and up-to-date antivirus protection of our computer. You should always be on the lookout for websites that ask you to enter sensitive data or, in particular, to send money under false pretences. Do not click on suspicious links and take particular care to protect your e-mail

If you have strong suspicions that an attack has been attempted on your network, you should report it to the police. It is also about preventing people who are less vigilant than us from falling prey to thieves. Finally, it is necessary to constantly make other users of the global network aware of the methods used by cyber criminals