The hacker who can stop you being conned
She's a scam expert who’s often hired to bypass security systems through a mixture of tech hacking, psychology and con-artistry. And as it’s revealed that 77% of scams are now happening on social media, Jenny Radcliffe joins us to reveal the best ways to keep yourself safe online. Her first tactic is all about Cyber hygiene, and she'll be explaining how to protect your phone, your computer and your emails.
What cyber scams should we be aware of?
The purpose of cyber scams is often to get you to click a link. This will then take you to a website which scammers use to download viruses to your computer, or steal passwords or other personal information.
Calls
Texts
Emails
Websites
Social media
How can we spot a scam call?
It can be tricky to spot a scam phone call, as it's difficult to confirm the identity of the person who contacted you.
However, here are a few things to remember -
If they are asking for your password on the phone
Using threats to frighten you
They are evasive if you have questions
You can't call the company back on their official number
How can we spot scam texts?
Scammers might be getting more cunning at making messages look like the real thing, but there are some signs you can watch out for -
Message from an unknown number
Urgent requests for payments or details
Fake website address
How can we spot scam emails?
It's also important to be on the lookout for any suspicious signs of scam in your emails. These are the main giveaways to look out for:
The email's sent from a strange-looking email address which doesn't look genuine (look out for lots of letters and numbers)
Spelling and grammatical errors
The company logo or any images look like they've been stretched or edited
How can we spot scam websites?
Fraudsters send scam emails, texts, or messages with links to websites that look genuine, but they are designed to steal your passwords and personal or financial information. Look out for the following signs of a scam website -
Unofficial domain name
Unusual pop-ups
No padlock symbol in the URL bar (but don't trust it as a sole means of verification)
You are being asked to use an unusual payment method
How can we spot scam social media accounts?
Many use social media every day to keep in contact with friends, follow the news and even buy things. But with their rise in popularity comes an increased risk of being scammed.
Fake friends online - Scammers may go so far as to pose as one of your friends, & send you to malicious sites
Quizzes - Avoid any short quizzes advertised on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, they include terms and conditions which allow the data you enter to be sold to third parties.
What should I do if I have shared personal information?
Cyber criminals may contact you via email, text, phone call or via social media. They will often pretend to be someone (or an organisation) you trust and they can be very convincing. If you have shared the following information, these are the next steps you should take -
You've provided your banking details - Contact your bank and let them know
You've given out your password - Change the passwords on any of your accounts which use the same password
Turn on 2 factor authentication on your apps
What steps can we take to prevent being scammed online?:
We can try and avoid being scammed by being informed about ways to protect our cyber hygiene. Jenny shared the following tips -
Be aware of receiving messages out of context
Be extra careful when receiving messages about money
Don't reuse passwords
Keep apps updated