5 Types of Online Scams to Watch Out For

It's important to learn about common ways to get scammed and what you can do to protect yourself against them.

15:14 29 January 2022

The internet is a wild world full of dangers, such as scams and viruses. You may not even be aware of all the scams and viruses out there, so it's important to learn about common ways to get scammed and what you can do to protect yourself against them.

 

There are many ways to keep yourself safe while surfing the web and some people even take extreme measures like not going on the internet at all. But for most of us, it’s just about being aware and taking precautions. Keep reading this article and you’ll find out what types of scams exist and how to get protected.

 

 

1. What Is an Online Scam? 

An online scam is a scheme designed to steal your money or personal information. There are many different types of online scams, but they all have one thing in common - they're designed to trick you into giving up your money or personal information. Sometimes this is through sneakiness, where you can avoid it if you know what to look for. Other times the scammer might try to trick you into thinking an email or message is from a legitimate source when in fact it isn't. For example, if you receive an email from your bank asking you for all of your personal information - chances are it's a scam.

 

2. How to Protect Yourself from Scams?

Protecting yourself from scams is different from protecting yourself from viruses . Rather than filtering through all the junk messages and emails, it’s a matter of knowing who you can trust. Most importantly, never send money to someone you don't know.

 

Here are a few tips on how to protect yourself from scams:

• Be vigilant when browsing the internet - be especially careful when clicking on links or downloading files.
• Never give out your personal information or financial details unless you are sure that the website is legitimate.
• Install a good antivirus and malware protection program on your computer, and keep it up to date.
• Make sure you have strong passwords and use a different password for each account.
• Regularly back up your data so that if your computer is infected with malware, you will still have a copy of your files.
• If you think you may have been scammed, report it to the police or to the website where the scam took

 

Following these rules should help you stay safe while browsing the internet.

 

3. Dangers of Being Scammed on the Internet

The dangers of being scammed on the internet are numerous. First and foremost, you run the risk of losing your money. A scammer may promise to give you a great deal on a product or service, but when you try to buy it, you find out that the offer was too good to be true. Or, worse yet, the scammer may take your money and never deliver the product or service. Sometimes, it's possible to get a refund from some services, such as PayPal, and only if you have enough proves that the scammer was not honest; but other times, you lose your money and that's it.

 

Secondly, there is always the risk of identity theft. Identity theft occurs when a thief uses your personal information (such as your name, address, credit card information, social security number, or phone number) without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. Once a scammer has this information, they can use it to steal your identity or to access your accounts. Be careful when providing your email address, Social Security number, or other sensitive information.

 

4. Types of Scams and How to Spot Them 

When we talk about different ways of being scammed on the internet, we can generally categorize them into 5 groups.

 

1) Malware and viruses

Malicious software (or malware), including viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, ransomware, worms, and many others, can damage or gain access to your computer. Once there, they may do things like steal personal information, or use it as part of a botnet (to then attack websites and computers). That's why you must have good anti-malware software, update it regularly and always think twice before you download something or click on suspicious links sent by email or social networks. If you have any doubt about the safety of your computer, run a scan with antivirus software. However, if you are not well-versed in this area, you can always contact experts for malvertising and check the best solution for your computer.

 

2) Fake online stores

These are distinctly made-up websites that look as if they were online shops or some other reputable website. They may offer some sort of incredible discounts, free shipping, etc., but when you try to buy something, they will ask you to enter your credit card details and other personal information. This is where the scam starts - since these websites do not use a reputable platform, they can easily steal your money and, once they have it all, close the website and disappear.

 

3) Fake online dating or romance

Online dating (and especially online romance) is a place where scammers love to be. These people can make fake profiles and use pictures of other people, or they may simply ask for your bank account details and then disappear. If you think someone might be cheating on you online - look for signs: do the person's stories match up? Is what they tell you about their day-to-day life consistent with what you know about them? Does the person ask for money or offer to wire some? If so, likely, they are not who they say they are.

 

4) Fake office assistants

Scammers love to pose as employees of big companies and offer their services over the phone. It’s rare for them to keep the same name, although some of them do. They often target small businesses and offer fake loans or investment opportunities; they may also ask you to provide your bank details so that they can deposit money into it (and steal it later).

 

5) Fake technical assistance

These scammers pose as tech support workers who will help you install software on your computer, or fix other problems. Their goal is to gain access to your computer and steal personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers.

 

Remember

The internet can be a dangerous place, and there are many ways for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. In this article, we have talked about 5 main types of scams that you need to watch out for: fake online stores, fake online dating or romance schemes, fake office assistants, fake technical assistance, or malware and viruses. We also discussed how to spot these scams before they can do too much damage. Remember, always be vigilant when browsing the internet - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!