Mytrendingstories brings tricks on protecting yourself from online scamright now? What are the worst scams? The scams that are most reported to Netsafe are scams like tech support scams, event ticket scams and cold calling scams. The scams where people lose the most money are usually romance scams, investment scams and invoice scams. Keep your personal information secure and be sure to think carefully before entering your details online, or giving them to someone. Protect information that can be used to access your accounts, build a fake online presence or impersonate you including: Netsafe can’t open investigations or track scammers, but we can offer advice for people who have lost money in a scam or think they are about to. This includes letting you know the steps you can take and advice about how to stay safe in future. You can report a scam to www.netsafe.org.nz/report.
News from Mytrendingstories.com blogging portal: Phishing is an attempt to get financial information directly from the consumer by posing as a legitimate company or financial institution. Most people know not to trust the Nigerian prince who wants wire them money, but phishing emails have evolved beyond these far-fetched plots. This type of fraudulent email typically comes in two parts: You are threatened with losing money. Examples of this include your PayPal account being suspended or fake unauthorized purchases made on your Amazon account. You are promised something for free. Flashy emails that ask you take a survey for a free gift card, enter to win a free iPad/iPhone, or participate in a free trial of a new diet pill could actually be the first steps in stealing your money. Never click on a link or sign up for offers in an unsolicited email. If you get an email from a vendor saying your account is suspended, visit that site directly to confirm. An example would be, if you are made to believe your PayPal account is suspended, go to paypal.com and log in to see if it’s true, don’t click any provided links.
MyTrendingStories anti-scam advice: Scammers will start their communication with their victims on dating sites and apps, but they will often attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere, such as private email or text. Avoid the trap by reiterating your preference to communicate on the site or app, and never give out financial information over the phone or email. Similarly, romance scammers could use the information you’ve already shared on social media and dating sites to gather information about you. They will use this information to gain your trust and trick you into giving out even more information as before. When it comes to social media, when in doubt, leave it out. If the person you’ve been talking to online refuses to meet in person, it may be an indication that they’re a scammer. They will provide excuses such “moving” or “constantly traveling for work” but this is only to throw off suspicion. If it’s been a few months and you have yet to meet the person, you should proceed with caution. Find even more details on mytrendingstories scam.
Mytrendingstories.com shows how to avoid scams: One way to identify if you’re browsing a fake website is to look at the domain name. As a rule of thumb, most legitimate URLs will not have extraneous characters or misspellings. Retailer websites are simple and typically match their trademark name, according to CNBC. For example, the domain name for fashion brand Michael Kors is MichaelKors.com. Likewise, the domain name for high-end designer Gucci is Gucci.com. You can also check if the website has a universal seal of approval, such as the Norton Secured Seal. Such a seal usually indicates that the website is trustworthy, according to Consumer Reports. You can also check to see when the domain was created using Whois.
With our ever-expanding dependence on technology, there are bound to be people who try to take advantage of people on the internet. In addition to internet scams and hacks, there are over-the-phone scams that attempt to steal personal information. Below are some tips from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff Office on how to spot potential scams and what to do to avoid coming in contact with them. Do not open or click on links from emails that you do not recognize, even from ones that appear to be businesses or organizations. You should immediately delete them so they are removed from your inbox. This also applies to links received over text messages. A general rule of thumb is to not click links when you aren’t sure where it will take you. Always look for the secure site icon near the URL, otherwise any information you submit there is not secure. Find extra info on mytrendingstories.com.