Avoid cyberscams: Strengthen your security and what to do as a cybercrime victim

Online scams can be extremely damaging to an individual's finances and steal sensitive information that can be a nightmare to fix. 

In general, phishing scams may appear as innocent requests from online hackers, but if individuals follow their requests or hand over their Social Security information, there are steps they can take to remedy the situation.

These cybercriminals tend to target senior citizens and can be difficult to avoid on a daily basis while using the internet.

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting individual and company systems and networks from digital threats. A successful approach includes layers of protection across all devices used and is essential to protecting personal and company information.

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What are phishing scams?

Phishing scams regarding the internet refer to tactics by online hackers and scammers to breach an individual's privacy. The cyberattackers attempt to convince the victims to reveal sensitive information regarding their finances or download ransomware viruses onto an individual's computer. These scams can be quite dangerous and may lure individuals through different methods that may appear innocent. 

Typically, individuals will receive an email that purports to be from a verified corporation, company, government agency or other reputable institution requiring immediate attention. These will likely include links that encourage the individual to visit their website to resolve the emergency or issue. 

Once the individual clicks on the links provided by the phishing email, it may begin asking them to install software to help resolve the emergency, but in reality, it is trying to install malware on their online device. In other cases, scammers may direct users to a website that appears legitimate and then ask them to provide personal information such as their Social Security number, passwords or other data that can be used to identify an individual.

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How do you avoid cyberscams?

It is important for individuals to follow strict guidelines to avoid falling victim to phishing scams, which can put their finances at risk and allow thieves to steal personal information. In order to avoid becoming prey to these scams, one should never provide personal information to random requests online, either through email or other forms of communication. Although these requests may appear legitimate, a government or financial institution will usually not contact people in that manner.

However, if one believes the request is legitimate, they should double-check by directly contacting the financial institution or government agency. Moreover, if the phone number or email does not match the official number or email from the company allegedly making contact, it is a likely scam. One should block all communication with them or not respond to their request.

In addition to refusing to provide personal information, individuals should keep their passwords well-protected and remember to change them occasionally to prevent scammers from gaining access to online accounts. Enabling two-step verification can also protect accounts from being hijacked by scammers if they obtain a password. Finally, it is advisable to regularly review financial statements to ensure that charges for purchases the account holder has not made are not occurring.

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Here are some tips for avoiding online fraud on a daily basis:

• Avoid opening suspicious emails
• Pay attention to links and website addresses before you click
• Protect your personal information and data
• Use unique and strong passwords of at least eight characters and a mix of capital and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters
• Keep your computer and mobile device software up to date
• Be careful about what information you send while using an unsecure Wi-Fi network

What to do if you fall victim to an online phishing scam

Suppose one falls prey to fraud or a phishing scam. The victim of the phishing attack should first determine how they became prey and the nature of the cyberattack. This may involve some investigative work to determine what information was compromised. It is also a good idea to check any accounts associated with the stolen information to locate suspicious activity. If the individual is more tech-savvy, they can check firewall logs for dubious URLs or IP addresses.

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They should immediately contact their financial institution or bank to alert them of the fraud to ensure that minor financial damage is incurred on their end. They can also ask their financial institution to place fraud alerts on their account for improved security to make it more difficult for scammers to open new accounts using their identity.

The victim should then report the attack. If an actual organization was used as a guise, the company should be made aware that a scammer is implicating them in phishing attacks. It can also help the victim regain control of their compromised information.

Some organizations allow victims to report attacks. In the United States, reports can be made to the Anti-Phishing Working Group and the Federal Trade Commission.

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You should also reset your passwords for all your devices and accounts, even if they have not been hijacked or taken control of by hackers.

Phillip Nieto contributed reporting.