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Have you ever received a suspicious email or pop-up that made your heart race, even for a second? You’re not alone. Online scams are getting more convincing every day, and even the most tech-savvy among us can find ourselves just one click away from trouble.
Phishing is one of the most common ways scammers can access your personal information. Many people fall victim to it every day, which is why this email we received was not surprising.
Just ask “Pamela,” who wrote to us: “I thought I couldn’t be scammed, but I almost was.”
Her story is a reminder that anyone can fall for a well-executed scam. We’ll share what happened to her below, how she caught on just in time, some tips on how to avoid being scammed on Facebook, and how to report it.
Don’t fall for urgency: How scammers pressure you to act fast
Scammers will create a false sense of urgency to make you act quickly without thinking. Take your time to verify any urgent requests, especially those involving money or personal information. Don’t act on impulse.
Check URLs carefully before you click them, and use strong antivirus software
Always update the software you use
Be sure each operating system, browser, and security software you use is updated on your computers and mobile devices. These updates often include patches that fix security vulnerabilities that scammers might exploit.
Be cautious with personal information on social media
Think twice before sharing personal details, such as your birthday, address, or even your pet’s name. Scammers can use information from your social media profiles to guess passwords or craft personalized phishing attacks.
Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) on all accounts
Don’t limit MFA to just your main accounts. Enable it wherever possible, including email, social media, and financial services. Multifactor authentication adds an extra step to the login process, making it significantly harder for scammers to gain access, even if they have your password.
Use a personal data removal service to clean up your online footprint
Scammers often scour the internet for your personal information. Using a personal data removal service can help reduce the amount of your sensitive data available online, making it harder for scammers to target you with convincing attacks. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap and neither is your privacy.
These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web.
Regularly review your financial statements and credit reports
Monitor your bank accounts, credit cards, and credit reports for any unusual or unauthorized activity. Early detection is key. If you spot something suspicious, report it immediately to your financial institution and the proper authorities.
Back up your important data regularly
Ransomware and other attacks can lock you out of your files. Regularly back up your important data to an external hard drive or a secure cloud service. This ensures you can recover your information if your device is compromised.
Report online scams to these official authorities
If you encounter a scam, reporting it to the proper authorities can help you recover lost funds and prevent others from falling victim to the same scam. By reporting scams, you contribute to a database that allows law enforcement to track patterns and catch criminals. Places you can report to include the FTC, your local FBI office, the IC3 and your state’s consumer protection office.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Keep in mind that scammers are constantly evolving their tactics. You must always be on guard. Do not rely too heavily on technology to protect you, since there is a psychological aspect to their methods as well. Have a skeptical mindset and trust your instincts. By sharing experiences and staying informed, we strengthen our community’s defense against cybercrime.
What was your scariest encounter with an online scam, and how did you manage to avoid falling for it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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The post A close call with a Facebook scam that tried to steal credit card info appeared first on Fox News.
