The new digital possibilities mean that we can live a smoother life. Never before have we been so dependent on digital communication. We can do everything from shopping to handling banking matters online. But the new opportunities also mean that new ways for fraudsters to appear are emerging.
As network use has increased, the number of network frauds has also increased. On the web, there are many ways to deceive people, and when you surf the net, it’s important to be aware of the dangers lurking.
In this post, we offer some pro tips to protect yourself from online fraud.
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Check Your Domain
If you’re running a business, hackers might be trying to collect data from it by accessing details used to register the domain for your company website. This can cause considerable damage to your business and you must look for a way to protect corporate data and domain privacy to avoid having someone break into your domain control panel and transfer your site to their name.
A majority of cyber security and anti-malware companies use WHOIS history details to collect information on who is behind a malicious domain. This type of information can also be used by law enforcement agencies and investigators to develop profiles which are extremely helpful when the time comes to catch a criminal.
Beware of Phishing
Social Engineering is when you’re tricked into doing something or revealing personal information because you think you’re communicating with someone you know or trust, and phishing is one of the ways it can be done.
Phishing is a scam that involves “fishing” for bank-related information that is then used for criminal purposes. The fraudsters are trying to trick you into opening a document, visiting a website, or downloading a file via email, text message, or various chat services. The purpose is to infect the device with malicious code and/or gain access to permissions.
The best way to protect yourself from phishing is by being properly educated about it and simply being aware of it. Avoid opening attachments or links in unsolicited emails even if they come from a recognized source. Companies should educate and train their workers to be wary of any type of communication that asks for personal or financial information, and immediately report such emails to the company’s security operation team.
Set Strong Passwords
From time to time, we get to hear that various digital services are being hacked and that in connection with the intrusion, user information, such as passwords, is being stolen.
Once a hacker with criminal intent has obtained your information, they can easily use it to gain access to your other accounts. If you use your e-mail address as a username in several places, the hacker can easily click on the “forgotten password” button and have a new one sent to your inbox.
Everything from expensive items on the Internet can then be ordered in your name or the hacker may contact your friends and family on social media and cheat them out of money. It can have devastating consequences on your finances and affect people in your close circle.
Using a unique and complex password for all your online accounts is crucial to protecting your personal information. However, creating and remembering many unique passwords can be challenging, which is why security experts recommend that you use a password manager.
It can help you save and enter your login information for each site and create strong passwords as well as sync your account logins on all your devices.