Most people in today’s world spend most of their time online. Scammers use it as a potential opportunity for fraud. Anyone can fall easily into online scams, irrespective of their age.
Older adults are particularly susceptible to financial scams due to a lack of knowledge of the technique used by the scammers. They are a prime target for online fraud because of their lack of knowledge and tendency to be trusting.
However, online scammers will continue to look for new ways to defraud. We must keep ourselves up to date with the technology, continue learning and educate those around us about the hoaxes and frauds prevalent online.
Here are the five ways to protect your loved ones from hoaxes and online fraud.
Never Believe Everything You See Online
The internet is a place where thoughts, ideas, and experiences are shared. We tend to believe what we read online and see on social media platforms. We fail to verify the facts and fall victim to online scams. Please verify the information’s source on the webpage to see whether it is reliable. You can check the suffixes of the web address to identify whether the source is trustworthy.
However, if you want to be safe, it is recommended to stick to a few secure and trusted sites.
Do Not Connect with Strangers on Social Media
Having many friends may give you the impression that you are really “social,” which is wonderful. But many individuals create fake profiles and are not the same people behind the screen. Therefore, it is best not to accept any friend requests from people you do not know; there are chances that they can be scammers.
Be Caution about Online Deals
Some internet promotions can be almost too good to be true, but they are frequently just another way to scam you into spending your money on a service or product that is false or does not even exist.
Some fraudulent online stores use platforms that we trust to advertise or promote their fake products, so if we unconsciously believe such advertisements, there are chances that we may fall victim to scams.
So, before you purchase some online deals, check the seller’s profile, check product reviews, be suspicious if they ask you to prepay the money for the product, and compare the product with other trusted sites to identify any anomalies.
Update Your Passwords at Regular Intervals
Constantly update your smartphone, social media, banking, and other account passwords. At the same time, remember to use a different password everywhere because once the scammers have one password under their belt, it is simple for them to turn around, and all your accounts can be compromised.
Create a strong and secure password for your accounts using a combination of numbers, uppercase, lowercase, and special characters. If you have multiple accounts, you can use some good password managers to remember your password.
Keep Your Personal and Private Information Secure
Do not share your private or personal details with anyone. Be careful not to disclose your personal information on social networking platforms. If you are careless, your personal information and images may be used by scammers to construct a false identity or to target you specifically.
