7 Common Cyber Scams to Make Your DaY
Image source: Simon Abrams, Unsplash
Welcome Back!
No doubt you read about online phishing scams every day.
Hopefully not, but you’ve probably faced more than your fair share of cyber scam attempts over time. Cyber fraud and online fraud are all over the place. It’s terrible and crazy!
What’s more, Cyber criminals are very smart and tricky.
Unfortunately, many people fall prey to these crimes. Please beware and be vigilant. Never let your guard down.
This week we pick up from our last blogpost Two New Cyber Scams for the Price of One and share seven common cyber scams so you can try to outsmart the criminals and reduce the risk of getting into trouble and losing money and time.
Look twice before you click! Be on guard!
In many ways, the old adage my grandfather used to say, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” still rings true.
This post is part of a three-part series on cyber scams and cyber security.
You can grab the other two posts in this series: Two New Cyber Scams for the Price of One and 7 Steps to Stay Safe Online.
Read on and be sure to protect yourself online!
Arthur V.
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7 Common Cyber Scams to Make Your Day
Cyber criminals craft emails that are relevant to you – based on your typical email content or web browsing habits – and usually well-written or reasonably well-written.
The emails seem legitimate or almost legitimate until you read the emails very closely.
It’s easy to click on them and lose money or become the victim of identity theft.
Common Online Scams include:
emails about your credit card being stolen or fraudulently used.
notification that someone initiated a withdrawal from your bank, PayPal, Coinbase or other financial account.
notification that your Amazon or Microsoft account was facing suspicious action and you have to log in and verify personal information.
your electric (or other utility service) bill is past due and your power will be turned off.
a shipment of products is coming your way [which you never ordered] and your credit card has been charged.
a long lost relative left you a $10 million inheritance; and you need to log in to claim it and give them your Social Security Number and bank account information.
a bank branch manager overseas just found $10 million and wants to share it with you; and you need to log in to claim it and give them your Social Security Number and bank account information; and,
your company’s human resources department (HR) emails you to inform the employees about a delay in the upcoming payroll or a change in the bank account. This email said we had to click and log into the payroll system right away to ensure that we receive the upcoming paycheck on time. I’ll bet many people would drop everything and jump on that email right away.
And on and on!
Don’t Click On Any Links!
Delete these Emails Immediately if Not Sooner!
When you receive these emails at work, mark them as phishing and report them to your IT Department so they can block the sender’s email address.
Phishing scams include a link or two to the online fraudster’s website and request that you enter your bank account information, Social Security Number or other personal information.
Typically, cyber criminals email you from a bogus email address where the lettering is very close – almost identical – to the legitimate company’s email address.
One or two letters may be incorrect. Or,
A letter might be capitalized instead of lower case.
Often, the online fraudsters’ links contain a virus that is designed to take over your computer or company’s computer systems. Then their fun and games begin. Cyber criminals often hold victims hostage for ransom. Perhaps they open credit cards in your name or even a home mortgage. One of my client’s data was compromised and the criminals demanded ransom. Nasty business.
If you’re anything like me, you never think you’ll fall prey to a cyber or phishing scam. But it’s easy, very easy, to fall for these scams. Especially when we’re in a hurry, multitasking, tired or bleary-eyed from staring at the computer monitor all day.
With all the cyber and phishing scams coming to our email inboxes every week; our hectic schedules; and harried lives our quest for success, it’s Easy to make a mistake.
Proceed slowly, before you click! Don’t let that be you.
Be on guard 24/7. Stay safe!
You can grab the other two posts in this series: Two New Cyber Scams for the Price of One and 7 Steps to Stay Safe Online.
See you next week.
Arthur V.
To Succeed even bigger, greater and stronger, 10X your success. Click here.
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