No one — gamer, cryptocurrency investor, or online shopper — is safe from scammers. But no matter who the victim is or how sophisticated the scheme may be, there is always a way to sniff out fraud before it’s too late, according to Kaspersky.
Due to global connectivity, it is now more dangerous on the internet as scammers from all around the world are able to use a variety of scams and tools to target unsuspecting people online.
A discerning and informed public can be the best defence against online scams. Kaspersky highlights 5 online scam red flags that the public need to look out for to better protect themselves against scammers.
Five signs you’re dealing with scammers:
1. Stick or carrot
Scammers often play on greed or fear. In the first case, they promise a potential victim the moon and the stars — for example, a large government payout or free cryptocurrency. The second involves intimidation, such as a threat to send a video of the victim watching porn to all of their contacts or to ruin the reputation of their company’s website.
In both cases, cybercriminals are trying to short-circuit their victim’s ability to respond rationally. If, after reading such an e-mail, you feel inclined to do exactly what the sender asks (follow a link, send money, call a number, etc.), that’s actually a warning sign.
“Take a deep breath and read the message again. Most likely, you’ll see it for what it is — a trick,” Kaspersky says.
2. Ticking…
