Technology has become integrated into our daily lives, and lots of our data is available out there. Unfortunately, tens of cybercriminals are looking for ways to exploit vulnerabilities in digital systems to target individuals and steal their sensitive information or money. To avoid phishing and fake apps, it’s important to know that these two scams are among the most common ways people get scammed online. These two are more common than any other type of scam.
One study indicated that nearly 1.2% of all emails sent are malicious which translates to over 3.4 billion phishing emails each day. On the other hand, online scams and related frauds, partly done using apps, lead to $10 billion in losses in the US alone in 2023. Let’s explore how you can avoid phishing and fake apps and deal with them.
Phishing emails have unique characteristics, which you can notice if you are keen. Here are the major issues to check in your next email.
Most of the phishing emails often threaten you with adverse action if you do not act immediately. For example, you may be told that your account will be suspended if you don’t change your password.
Official emails, especially on matters regarding your account and finances, will address you by name. However, scam emails start with words like ‘Dear Customer’ or ‘Dear User’ rather than addressing you by name.
Emails often look legitimate, but you may recognize subtle misspellings, usually an addition of a character or number at the end of the string. For example, google1.com instead of google.com.
When you get an email that wishes to have you share personal information or change credentials, start by inspecting the sender’s email for errors in the URL. If you are not sure that it comes from a legitimate source, forward the email to customer support for advice. For example, if you read the Stake Blackjack Casino review from Blackjack.Guide and create an account and later get an email from Stake1.com to verify the account, head to the help section, and forward the message to customer support as an email or in the live chat.
Second, hover over links to reveal their true destination. If the destination is not the official website as claimed by send, don’t click it. Third, emails that are full of errors and bad grammar are likely scams. Ignore such communications. Finally, professional organizations will never require you to provide logins and account numbers over email. Any such attempts are scams.
Fake apps are malicious applications with a few features that mimic legitimate ones. They aim to deceive users to download and install them. Once installed, the apps track activity, steal data or infect your phone with some malware. Here are a few aspects of fake apps
If you wish to download a popular app, the chances are that it has millions of downloads and detailed reviews. However, if the app you wish to download, while looking like the popular app, lacks both, it may be a fake one.
Be cautious when an app asks you to permit access to unnecessary features. For example, a gaming app does not need permission to access your contact lists to work. In the same breath, avoid giving optional permissions to your phone features if they don’t affect your experience.
Most scammers alter app names slightly by adding characters or letters in names. If an app is slightly different in terms of logo, name, and description, it is not legitimate. Official apps do not make such errors.
There are several ways you can protect yourself from fake apps. First, stick to the official app stores whenever possible. If you are looking for an app on Android out of the site, download it on the official website of the service provider. Second, check developer details on the app download page. Legitimate apps provide contact details, websites, and other identifying information. It may be great to check these platforms before you download the app.
Please check user reviews to understand how the app works. Check for red flags like unauthorized charges, bugs, and unexplained crashes. Avoid apps with an overwhelming number of negative comments on key security and performance processes. Once you download apps, be sure to update them accordingly to patch vulnerabilities that could be exploited by scammers.
You can also make use of technology to safeguard yourself from scams and malicious apps. Here are some of the options that you may use. First, install antivirus software on your device. These tools are good at sniffing out malicious apps and websites and will warn you if the certificate or destination does not match the description.
Second, you should consider password managers like Dashlane and LastPass to generate and store passwords. This reduces the chance that a virus attack will access your passwords. It also helps you create unique passwords that are challenging to crack, even when the hacker has some information.
Third, consider multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA adds a layer of security to your logins, which prevents others from accessing your accounts even if they have a password. Common MFA tools include fingerprint and iris scanners, email, and message prompts. When one enters your password, you must approve with any of these methods for access to be granted.
If, by bad luck, you have been scammed, take proactive measures such as changing your passwords. If your banking or card information has been stolen, stop any transactions and change your online access credentials.
For other accounts like gaming and entertainment, you may have to contact customer support for assistance. Your speed in resolving such issues may mean a difference between losing your money and keeping it.
To avoid phishing and fake apps are some of the most popular kinds of fraud on individual accounts. Malicious individuals pretend to be legitimate companies and steal both sensitive personal information and login data.
You can save yourself from these scams by being proactive in identifying the destination of the apps and links you get. It is also good to avoid responding to requests in a hurry and to confirm with your service provider wherever you are in doubt.
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