Text Only

− ↺ +

Information Security Tips (December 2022) – Enhance security awareness to avoid online scam

/in /by

IT devices have become a part of our lives. No matter how old you are, you can access online information through your device, such as chatting, online shopping, etc. Internet not only brings us useful information, but also makes some scams more accessible to us.

Here are two examples of online scams:

1. Online shopping scams
Have you ever shopped online but did not receive the goods after payment? Most scammers defraud consumers with the following tricks:

    • Use of special offers – Attract buyers with limited offers, sales, overseas purchasing services
    • Lose contact upon receiving money – Ask buyers to transfer money into a specific account and refuse to trade face to face. Once the money is received, the sellers disappear into thin air.
  1. Online job search scams
    Fraudsters post job ads on various social media platforms, forums or instant messengers, and lure job seekers intopaying fees, guarantee fees or other chargesunder various pretexts. After snatching the money, the fraudsters will be out of contact. Such scams may have the following characteristics:
    • Offer high salary or work from home jobs
    • Low academic qualifications or age requirements
    • Do not mention the specific job post and duties
    • Do not mention the name or address of the company, but only provide contact information with instant messenger or mobile phone number

In the above cases, the psychology of people who want to get a discount or preferential treatment is exploited for scams.

Here are some tips to prevent the above scams:

    • Remember that the Internet is a virtual world where anyone can assume a false identity.
    • Always be alert to people or messages from unknown sources.
    • If possible, shop on shopping platforms with a good reputation to reduce the risk of being scammed.
    • When shopping, pay attention to the origin of goods to avoid inadvertently running afoul of the law.
    • Be careful when applying for a job. You can start by collecting data to verify that the company or job actually exists.
    • If you encounter any problems, you should talk to your family or friends.

Reference