Page 40 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2022

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We advise you to check your credit cards at least once a year, ensuring that you have not been a victim
of an internet scam. Furthermore, you need to know how to avoid these particular scams.

It is simple to avoid these scams. All you need to do is avoid social media ads, emails, text messages
and pop-up ads offering fake credit reports. There are many websites where you can get a free credit
report however, there are many URLs which are very similar to those legitimate websites. Ensure that
you are checking these URLs and then you will be safe.

Dating Scams

Living in the digital age, we have become more reliant on it than ever. We rely on it to do our clothes
shopping, food shopping, communicate with friends and use it for work. Many people will even use the
internet for potential relationships that may lead to possible dating scams.

Yes, dating scams are a thing and it is more likely to happen to women than men. In 2021, over $304
million was lost due to dating scams in the United States. Again, this is common with those who are from
the older generation.

There are many different forms of romantic fraud. One of the more common methods is by those who
build a fake relationship with someone to the point where they have built enough trust to ask for money.
They will usually say that it is down to an emergency which is something that a lot of people fall for.
Furthermore, there have been people that will give them access to their accounts, another typical method.
The question is, how do you avoid this? You may think it is easy but many people fall into this trap. Many
people will usually use fake accounts and nine times out of ten, they will have few images. Furthermore,
you want to ensure you meet these people before giving away any personal information. Don't be guilt-
tripped into anything you are unsure of and cut them off when you sense anything dodgy.

Phishing

Phishing is one of the more common cyber scams you will hear of a lot. It is the most common and just
as effective as the rest. Furthermore, it is similar to dating scams but more in a friendly way. They will
pretend as if they know you or a friend of a friend and just get to know you. They could pretend to be a
friend and say that they have a new phone or something along those lines.

There are so many social media platforms where people can pretend to be others. Some platforms such
as Facebook now require you to provide an identity card before you create an account. Similar to what
betting sites get you to do. Phishing is common and happens all over the world. That is why you have to
be careful with what you are doing. If you sense anything out of the ordinary, find another way to contact
the person they are pretending to be. Maybe contact another friend to see if they have spoken to them
recently. If you sense it is dodgy, it probably is, especially if you know that family member or friend well.

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