Cybersecurity Insiders is providing advice to help online shoppers prevent themselves from becoming victims of cyber attacks. Infosecurity magazine estimates that this holiday season will turn into a happy time for hackers to carry out an estimated 50 million global fraud attempts. Whether it is credit card fraud, bank account infiltration, or simple identity theft, online shoppers are at high risk.
Over 50% of cyber frauds are produced by emails that end up in our spam folders and occur through phishing scams. People are frequently persuaded to click on these emails that pretend to be from well-known merchants like Best Buy and CVS, who offer strong discounts via email marketing. These are actually honey traps meant to deceive people. So be careful not to become dependent on them.
Due to the fact that most cybercriminals are based in developing nations, linguistic barriers frequently cause them to fail. Therefore, they frequently use translation software, which is known for misinterpreting language. Therefore, consumers who want to safeguard themselves against fraud should avoid discount-focused emails that are full of spelling mistakes because they are surefire indicators of fraud.
As soon as you read an email that contains discounts and coupon codes, it is best to use Google to double-check the contact information provided. It is frequently discovered that the phone numbers provided in the email are linked to a scam line. And once the bad guys get these details, they’ll find a way to trick you into giving them your credit card information or your consent to remotely operate your PC so they can cause damage that you can’t even comprehend.
It is preferable to look for reviews of a product that is listed on a retailer’s website. This not only gives you an accurate image of how the product works but also gives you a summary of the sales report. Therefore, it is preferable that you purchase the item after reading user reviews or ratings.
Keeping tabs on your bank account on a weekly or biweekly basis is preferable. Additionally, make sure that a two-way authentication is used to validate all of your digital or M-wallet transactions. Additionally, text or email warnings can provide users peace of mind or perhaps even halt online criminals before they cause more harm.