Electronic Scams

Crooks are waiting to deceive you through electronic scams beware!

Ever since the instigation of internet networks, cyber criminals affected the online business activities and with passage of time, this is getting more refined. Be wary of electronic scams which is in the form of account takeover, pay point scam, cold call frauds etc.

Although there are several legitimate online sellers out there, unfortunately, scammers can use the anonymous nature of the internet to swindle naive shoppers. The worst part about electronic scams is that sometimes even the most attentive shopper could be trapped; this is because of the well-thought-out design of a website or an ad on a genuine retailer site. No matter how well-designed the trap is, be on your guard!!

• Don'tget excited when you see an advertisement of an expensive product offered at low-price,if the offer is too good to be true, it probably is.
• Show caution if the other party insists you to make an immediate payment, or demands payment only by electronic funds transfer or a wire service. In some cases, you might be asked to pay up-front for tickets before you can access a cheap deal or a giveaway.
• Stay away from online retailers who do not provide enough information about privacy, terms and conditions of use, and if you come across such a statement like the seller is based overseas, or does not allow payment through PayPal or a credit card transaction, ignore them without any second thought.

Reduce your vulnerability

A well-rounded safety and security for your computer is what helps protect yourself from electronic scams. Following are some of the precautionary measures you need to take, in order to avoid becoming a victim of electronic scam.

Turn on your firewall

Safeguarding your data from attack, you can be sure of staying away from unauthorized users because it blocks certain kinds of traffic. It helps in protecting your computer from hackers gaining sensitive information like passwords and One Time Password (OTP) or any deleted information. However, commit to memory that this has its own pros and cons.

Have your Antivirus installed and update it when required

An effective antivirus is said to prevent malicious software programs from embedding on your computer and upon detection of one, it works to do away with it. Having said that, it is vital to update it, however, most types of antivirus software can be set up to update automatically.

Know your downloads and have an updated Operating system

Downloading e-mail attachments from unknown mail ID's can sometimes dodge even the most effective anti-virus software. So, before doing that know what you are downloading and avoid opening mail attachments that you receive from people you do not know. This is because they may have an unwittingly advanced malicious code. With that said, make sure that you stay attuned with technology and update your Operating system. Check the install updates to give your computer the latest protection.

Know your seller and protect your personal information, in case if you are a victim of electronic scam don't hesitate to seek legal counsel.