Major Cyber Scams And Tips To Avoid Them!

By Ray Parker

Cyberspace is the new playground for trespassers with a growing online population. Demand for a good cyber security testing company is increasing as organizations are looking to bolster their defenses. Trespassers use various techniques and scams to put users’ data at risk.

1)  Phishing

Phishing is the most common of scams that occur on both corporate and personal levels. The criminal approaches the victim in an attempt to steal personal data, financial information or sensitive information regarding an organization. This is done via email, phone calls, text, etc. by pretending to be someone else to “verify your identity” as a part of a transaction or to prevent fraud, which ironically is what they are committing themselves. Here a few tips to recognize these scams:

• Check contact names: Companies never approach via email or text for your information. Never do this. Also, check for inconsistencies when comparing their email address and phone number with the person or organization they claim to be associated with.
• Look for misspellings and poor grammar: Oftentimes, criminals make these mistakes. Genuine organizations take time to ensure correct grammar and spelling.
• Look for aggressive behavior: Cybercriminals often use the “panic” tactic. Words like “IMMEDIATELY” and “Urgent!” are used in spam emails. If the language is overly aggressive, it is probably a scam because it is not a professional way of going about things.
• Check website prefix: Look for the “https://” prefix. Phishing fake sites will just start with the usual http:// and that missing “s”

2) Baiting

This scam is done to lure users to install something malicious. Users are tricked into performing certain actions such as downloading a virus or entering personal information in exchange for a bait. Bait can be in the form of free antivirus software or movies users can download. To protect yourself and your organization, pay attention to these common indicators:

• Avoid “free” deals: Always double-check the source, read the fine print of any agreements and also do some checking on the organization claiming to make these offers. Because Many cyber scammers attempt to lure victims in with promises of free downloads, free shipping, free subscriptions, etc.
• Avoid unfamiliar external flash drives or hard drives: Make sure you know the owner of the drive before you connect it to your machine.

3) Tech Support Scams

Scammers pose as tech support employees, either working for a victim’s organization or independent service, to gain access to personal information. Like the other scams listed here, success or failure is dependent on the victim falling for a social engineering attack. With this in mind, it’s important to watch out for some of the telltale red flags:

• Lookout for unsolicited messaging: Software and hardware developers never track their solutions and then call to offer security assistance. If a tech support worker or company is reaching out to you via a pop-up ad, and unsolicited email or phone call, or through social media, it is likely a scam.
• Avoid installing anything from an unknown source: Downloading anything from the web comes with the inherent risk of infecting your machine. Like baiting scams, cybercriminals will often attempt to offer “free security scans” or “computer cleanups,” which then infect the victim’s computer with malware.

 Author Bio:

Ray Parker is a Senior Marketing Consultant with a knack for writing the latest news in tech, quality assurance, software development and testing. With a decade of experience working in the tech industry, Ray now dabbles out of his New York office.