It’s important to be more alert about the existence of scams and to avoid dismissing the validity of some peoples’ claims. It also helps to take the time to educate yourself about some of the most common types as well as how you can protect yourself.
In reality, the best defence against scams is using your common sense.
Having restraint also helps because you are less likely to want to take up offers which you don’t need which leads to you losing money along the way.
Avoid suspicious links. Doing this is a simple way to avoid trouble. If you receive an email from an address you don’t recognise, with a link or attachments which seem suspicious, rather delete the entire mail without opening it. In some cases, the links contain malware which is used to steal your sensitive information.
Never give out your personal information. This is also the best defence against scams because you can avoid giving people free reign to your details, which could end up financially destroying you. Keep an eye on your personal data vigilantly.
Take the time you need to for verification of any offers you may receive. A simple internet search will put you in a good position to assess the credibility of any individual or company that may be soliciting you. Make sure that you always use secure WiFi connections and use web addresses starting with “https”.
Watch out for unsolicited contact. Getting mails about random competitions should ring alarm bells.
Never give your credit card details out and never let your credit cards out of sight to avoid skimming.
Keep your virus protection up to date and use strong passwords when you update your details. This will leave you less susceptible to attacks from scammers.
