Learning how to avoid online
fraud is becoming very important to members of social media sites, who are
exposed to attacks coming from phony accounts. Popular sites like Facebook and
Twitter that started as platforms for socializing and keeping up with friends have evolved
into huge marketing sites that attract big businesses, as well as people from
all social classes. As predicted by online security experts, these sites have
become the playing field of cyber criminals looking for victims among the
millions of social media users, who lack sufficient knowledge on how to avoid
online fraud.
Members of social media sites
should learn how to avoid online fraud, because the numbers victimized by
cyber criminals among account holders of popular sites such as Facebook has
steeply increased over the past year. As big businesses and brands invest
heavily in social media marketing, cyber criminals perpetrating fraud are not
far behind. Product and brand advertising that attracts thousands of clicks is being
exploited by virus writers to steal information from unsuspecting people.who
love to see the latest offers and product launches from their favorite companies.
By learning how to spot fraudulent product ads or promotions that can lead you
to phishing websites, you gain knowledge on how to avoid online fraud.
Because most of us are social
creatures, who love to meet and interact with new people, social media sites
have become platforms for new friendships being established based on the scant
information provided in account profiles. Less discerning people are easily led
to befriending scammers that aim to use such connections for scams to get money
out of the,, orto gain their trust to obtain personal details. Thus, it is
important to learn how to avoid online fraud, when you become an active member
of a social media site.
Basic Tips on How to Avoid Online
Fraud
Security experts recommend that
users of social media sites should learn how to avoid online fraud by becoming
aware of the top social media scams that con people or cause their computers to
become infected with malware. You can share this knowledge with friends, who
may not be aware that these innocent looking posts are tools of scammers, who
are after their money.
- Phishing social media posts of video clips and photos that make you click on a link to see the details are the most common tools of scammers. You are asked for your login data when you click on the link, providing the scammer with the opportunity to grab your credentials and to take control of your account.
- A seemingly innocent post that asks you to take a short quiz to find out a popular movie character that you resemble or something similar can be a con posted by a scammer. Examples are quizzes that require you to provide personal info or your cell number, only to find out later that you have subscribed and have been charged for some kind of telephone service.
- Hacked social media accounts are used to con money out of unsuspecting friends, who are not aware that a scammer controls the account. Posts of urgent requests for monetary assistance due to a calamity, lost bags and wallets, or the need to get home immediately from an accident or vacation in a distant place are some of the variants of this scam.
