Knowing how to identify and when to report cyber fraud is an important part of being an active member of the online community. Although many agencies are into protecting people and finding ways to stop cyber fraud, it remains to be a problem to this day. This is the reason why it is important for you to learn to protect yourself when you go online and at the same time participate in the campaigns against cyber fraud.
Being able to identify cyber fraud before it can even take advantage of you is a proven method to significantly reduce your chances of becoming a cyber fraud victim. Reporting any forms of cyber fraud you encounter to authorities and other relevant agencies is how you take part in the campaign against these malicious online tactics.
To give you some idea on how to identify and report cyber fraud, see the details below;
- Emails from Unknown Senders
According to the experience of the victims who report cyber fraud, the primary channel for delivering online dubious schemes is through email. Almost all people who go online have their own email. This is one of the reasons why many fraudsters prefer to deliver their scheme through this method. It allows them to easily reach into thousands of victims at a minimal cost.
If you run into an email from an unknown sender claiming that they are from a specific company you are affiliated with, what you can do is call the company directly and inquire about the validity of the email before you respond. Once you find out that it’s a fake then you can use your email provider’s security features and report cyber fraud email that you received.
- Online Offers That Are Too Good to Be True
People who report cyber fraud also revealed that another common indicator of cyber fraud is too good to be true offers. Services and products are commonly offered online and most people in the online community are always on a search for a good bargain, which is why fraudsters commonly use too good to be true offers so they can lure their victims into their trap. Most of these fraudsters are after your personal and financial information so they can exploit your resources. So the next time you encounter offers that you feel are way too cheap or are so good that there must be a catch, chances are there really is. In case you do fall victim to this type of scheme, then you must immediately report cyber fraud incident to the Federal Trade Commission and IC3. Although these two agencies have no power to conduct their own investigation, they can easily forward your report to their partner local authorities who can launch the investigation.
The details provided above are some of the most common identifiers of cyber fraud. The early identification of cyber fraud can save you from going through the stressful and traumatic experience of being a fraud victim, while knowing how to report cyber fraud helps empower you in case you become a victim of these types of malicious schemes. 