Unfortunately, we live in an age when scams are common and many of them occur online, which can often make them harder to spot, leading all ti sorts of people falling, the victim. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to fall into the same trap. One good way of spotting scams and protecting yourself against them is by asking yourself the questions listed below.
Have You Been Contacted for No Reason?
Whenever you receive a cold call or an unexpected email, this should start the alarm bells ringing straight away. Phishing scams are still popular with hackers, so take a look at Proofpoint for more information about this particular area. It is a very unusual situation if an organization contacts you asking for sensitive information. Rather than continue talking to the person on the phone or clicking through a link from an email, contact the company directly yourself.
Is it Too Good to Be True?
Often, people draw you in with offers that appear too good to be true – usually involving some sort of offer, cash prize, etc. Don’t be tempted into anything that is going to draw you in and get you to pass over financial details or personal information of any kind. Keep in mind the rule that if something appears too good to be true then the chances are that it actually is.
Are There Spelling and Grammar Mistakes?
It is often the case in phishing emails that they are littered with spelling and grammar mistakes that can act as clues that the person contacting you isn’t who they say they are. Legitimate organizations have professionals ironing out any errors, so it is unlikely to be real. If you aren’t too hot on your spelling and grammar, you could always run the email through a checking system such as Grammarly.
Have You Been Asked for Personal Details?
One of the most important rules to live by when it comes to spotting scammers and hackers is that you should never pass over any personal details to someone if you cannot confirm their identity. Once you hand over this valuable data, you are giving hackers a license to do what they want with it. Only share your details with trusted sellers and associations.
Do You Feel Under Pressure to Make a Decision?
A trick that fraudsters commonly use is to make you feel like you are under pressure and you don’t have the opportunity to make an informed decision. Don’t let anyone push you into making a choice that you are not comfortable with – particularly if it is one that is based on your personal finances. The sales staff at any organization should always allow you the space to think. If they don’t, this could be a sign that the person is someone other than who they say they are.
Asking these five questions before you proceed with any important decisions or even day-to-day emails you receive can help you to pick out the scammers.
Photo by Lindsey LaMont
