Download How To Keep Yourself Safe From Email Scammers

We live in an age where we are constantly connected to the internet in one way, shape or form. Everything we do seems to be connected The World Wide Webfrom reading news articles and visiting forums to checking email and doing online banking.

While this relationship has a lot of positives, it naturally comes with a bunch of negatives, including cybercriminals who will do anything in their power to make a quick buck.

Everyone says it is important to be safe online, but only a few tell you how to do this. As someone who has spent between 10-16 hours per day on the internet for the past 20 years and has never fell for a scam or had a single virusI am well suited to write a guide for you on how to protect yourself from online fraudsters.

Install a reputable VPN on your computer and devices

GetIntoPC has dozens of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for you to download and I cannot stress enough their importance. VPNs act as an intermediary between your device and the websites you access, masking your IP address and makes it impossible for anyone to track your internet activity. They also come with many other features including allowing you to access MyBookie welcome bonus

from anywhere in the world, killswitches, watch Netflix movies that are not yet available in your location, encrypting your connection and much more.

A VPN offers unparalleled privacy at a very low cost, often less than a monthly takeaway coffee. In short, you cannot afford not to have a VPN installed on your devices.

Your vigilance is your first line of defense

Over 90 percent of cyber attacks begin with a phishing email, which shows the importance of being vigilant when accessing the internet. Cybercriminals send phishing emails (an email that looks like it’s from a legitimate source) in an attempt to get you to send them personal information, such as your date of birth, social security number and bank account details.

Some of these phishing emails look legitimate, which is why so many people fall for these scams. However, there are a few things you can look for to help you find out if the email is legitimate or an attempt to release you from personal information.

First, every business will address you by your name and do not “Dear Customer” or use your email address instead of your name. The first significant red flag is an email addressed to you that does not use your name and title.

Second, check the e-mail sender’s address. Often they will be a random bunch of letters or someone’s name associated with a Google account. Businesses, especially financial institutions, always use a business email address. If the sender’s address looks legitimate at first glance, double-check the spelling.

After that, no legitimate business will ever ask you for password details or other personal information via email. If an email asks for sensitive data, it is almost certainly a phishing attempt.

Finally, contact the business directly if you are still in doubt. A quick phone call to a company and asking their customer support team if they have contacted you should clear up any confusion. Make sure you call a number you know is legitimate and not some phone number that appears on the email because scammers often have fake customer service agents waiting for you to call!

Most antivirus software is not worth the money

I bought all the antivirus software when I started visiting the Internet in the early 2000s. Such software was important at the time because the internet was in its infancy and people were blissfully unaware of the dangers cybercriminals posed.

However, this is no longer the case. As a PC user I find Windows Defender, which comes pre-installed on Windows-powered machines, to be more than robust enough for most internet users. Use the money you save from not buying antivirus and firewall software to buy a top-tier VPN instead.

Make sure your operating system is up to date by install updates and patches Microsoft distributes. Do the same with all the software and applications installed on your phone or tablet. These patches not only iron out mistakes, but close potential security vulnerabilitiesalso.

Similarly, use different passwords for each site that require login and make sure these passwords are strong. A strong password consists of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special symbols and is at least eight characters, preferably 12. Avoid using words that can be associated with you. Instead, look around your surroundings or open a random book page and use one of these words before hiding it.

Having different passwords means that your other accounts will remain safe if one of your passwords is compromised.

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!

There’s a saying that goes, “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.” As silly as it sounds, the bottom line is that if something looks like a scam, it probably is.

Everyone has received “Nigerian Prince” email scam at some point. It’s such a common scam that it’s been immortalized as a meme. You know, the one where you receive an email claiming you have a long-lost relative who died in a tragic accident and left you a ridiculous sum like $295 million in their will.

Although offering a life-changing sum sets alarm bells ringing, some Too good to be true emails are more subtle. For example, an email or website may claim to give you a free iPhone for clicking a link and entering a few personal details. Others may offer free or deeply discounted subscriptions to popular products or services. All of the too-good-to-be-true offers are scams designed to collect your personal information or trick you into installing malware on your computer or Internet-ready devices.