Avoid Phishing Scams with the Help of 10 Easy Methods

Posted on: Apr 21, 2022 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Avoid Phishing Scams with the Help of 10 Easy Methods

Even if you have not been a victim of a Phishing Scam yet, the chances of being one remain considerably high. If you are unaware of what a "Phishing Scam" is, let us explain it to you in simple terms. Phishing is a type of social engineering that is commonly used to steal users' data throughout the board. This includes all your important login credentials, Credit Card details, Bank details and other sensitive data. Scams like these are very widely spread around every corner of the world and it is bound to happen.

Keeping all your data secure can be easier by having Cyber Insurance. It keeps you safe from many unfortunate incidents that may occur online. Also, here are 10 ways through which you can stay safe online, keep your data secure and avoid these Phishing Scams from ruining your life.

10 Ways to Avoid Phishing Scams:

1. Stay Updated With The Phishing Techniques:

As bad as it may sound, there are multiple techniques used by scammers to phish your confidential data. So it is best advised to stay updated and learn about them beforehand to recognize the scam at an early stage. As the best safety resides within one's knowledge.

2. Do Not Click Without Verification:

Your email or your other social media accounts must get bombarded with several unknown messages, telling you to click on some unknown links, tied with several rewards and prizes. A majority of these links will lead you directly to scammers, so do not click on the links that you are unfamiliar with.

3. Get An Anti-Phishing Extension:

Accessing the internet with your trusted browser is not enough. They have several customization options, along with the freedom to add extensions. You can add one of those Anti-Phishing extensions to your browser that will alert you with a prompt, whenever it detects suspicious activity on a website you are on.

4. Check The Website’s Security:

One of the famous Phishing Scam tactics is using a “dummy website.” These dummy websites are usually made to masquerade as an original website, like your official bank page. It is hard to notice if you are not checking and many people confuse it to be the real deal. So before clicking on any URL or putting in your data on a website, make sure that it is the real one by checking the site address. That is why Cyber Insurance is generally preferred in this case, along with your precautionary measures.

5. Daily Screening of Your Online Accounts:

Make sure to keep tabs on your online accounts such as your email, online payments app, social media, etc. Check your account activity daily and look for anything unknown or unusual. Change your passwords regularly, which makes it harder for the scammers to decipher. Report any unknown transactions to the bank, even if it is a minimal ones. This way, you can avoid any miscreants from messing with your stuff.

6. Always Update Your Browser:

Browsers are the key medium that connects you to the world of the internet. These browsers get frequent updates and security patches that fix the application and mend any security loopholes, which can be taken advantage of by the scammers. Do not use outdated browsers and avoid it by keeping them up-to-date, at all times.

7. Enable Firewall:

A Firewall works as a guard that monitors the security of your device and analyzes all the incoming and outgoing network traffic. It uses advanced methods to block any data that it deems fishy. It is a must-use method to keep scammers and hackers from tapping into your device.

8. Stay Away From Pop-Up Ads:

When you visit any online website, there might be a chance you will be greeted with numerous, fishy-looking pop-up advertisements, like "User, your Windows 10 is infected with Virus, Click Here to Scan" or as such. Do not click on those as they tend to redirect you to several of those Phishing websites that will fetch your confidential data. Also, try not to visit any suspicious websites, to begin with.

9. Do Not Release Personal Data Online:

Your bank or any other of your confidential entities will never ask for your account details online or through a phone call. This is a general trick that Phishing Scammers use to draw away your precious data by letting you think they are helping you. When such a situation occurs, it is advised to contact your bank directly through their official helpline and report this directly.

10. Get Antivirus Software:

By now, it should be a given fact that users who access the internet through their mobile or computer devices, must get a paid antivirus software installed. These applications are usually subscription-based and they give you tons of features that lets you remain off the hook of scammers and hackers online. Most antivirus software has all the necessary plug-ins included with their subscription, like firewall, anti-malware, internet security, VPN, and so on. They constantly stay updated with what's going on over the world and receive updates and security patches frequently.

Conclusion

It is a common saying that not all plans are flawless. As real as it may seem, it is also true that learning all the ways of possible prevention will keep you safer. Phishing scams are all over the internet and the people, who are a bit gullible and unknown of their methods, are easy targets for these scammers. But that doesn't mean it could not happen to you with all your extensive precautionary knowledge. It is like owning a car, even with all your years of driving skill, there are still many variables at work that can cause an accident. So it is always recommended for internet users to have Cyber Insurance. As cyber crime activities keep on growing to a higher scale, the more prone your valuable data is to get into the wrong hands. These policies generally cover all the essentials like Identity theft, Liability of a business due to the breach of sensitive customer information, Personal Information Leak, Account credentials Leak, and other possible damages. So, keep yourself and your business safe and don't take any chances with key information in today's online-centric world.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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