From shopping to education, from communication to entertainment, from economy to business life, we make our lives easier by getting support from the internet. However, the internet is not only used for good and positive purposes. Internet fraud, which threatens your personal security, causes many people to suffer both materially and morally.
What is Internet Fraud?
All attempts that aim to benefit materially and morally from people who use online services through various applications and methods are called internet fraud. Internet fraud can come in various forms. Let's take a look at the most common types of internet fraud.
Theft and Misuse of Personal Data
Links, messages, and identity and account information transmitted through intermediaries such as e-mail, SMS, messaging areas of social media accounts can be stolen. This information can then be sold for money or used directly for malicious purposes.
Corporate Identity Imitation
Internet fraudsters can sometimes victimize people by using the names of banks or government institutions. They can call the person like a bank employee and access their online banking account information, and then directly exploit their credit card or bank accounts. Sometimes they claim that they are calling from state authorities such as the police or prosecutor's office and demand money directly.
Data Breach with Ransomware and Malware
One of the most used tools in internet fraud is ransomware. With these software, the data is seized, then various requests are made to return the data. With other malicious software, devices can be hijacked and disabled, or personal data on devices can be stolen. With malicious software, secure areas where personal or corporate data are stored are infiltrated. The data is then stolen and can be shared with untrusted people in exchange for money.
Credit Card Fraud
Credit card fraud is one of the most used internet fraud methods. Therefore, it is of great importance that the online shopping sites used by many people in recent years are reliable. Because credit card information can be copied at the payment stage of online shopping. This information is then used to make large purchases or withdraw money.
Fraud with Award and Congratulatory Messages
Internet scammers; Personal data can be accessed via e-mails or SMSs containing positive messages stating that you have won a prize or gift. In order to win prizes or gifts, people can fall into the trap of scammers. Sometimes, scammers who impersonate people you know due to the hijacking of social media accounts may also demand money from you. Some scammers first convince you by sending money or various gifts, and then misuse the information they request.
What to Do Against Internet Fraud, What Precautions Should Be Taken?
You can take various precautions to navigate digitally, to transact securely, and to protect yourself from many negative situations that all these types of fraud may cause. You can take a look at the precautions below to learn what to do for internet fraud.
- Do not share your personal information, device passwords and online account information with strangers.
- Set strong passwords that you use for online transactions. Your name from special day dates such as birthdays or
- Be careful not to create guessable passwords with your loved ones' names.
When you buy a new device, delete all data on your old device and restore your old device to factory settings. - Make sure your internet connection is secure and set a strong password.
- Check the devices connecting to your Wi-Fi network from time to time, change your password when you see a foreign device.
- Get support from a security or antivirus software, take care to keep your devices up to date.
- When you're connected to a different Wi-Fi network while you're out, learn what information is shared with that network connection. Do not connect to untrusted networks.
- Ignore requests from various government agencies, such as alleged online money transfer or sharing account information.
- Do your online shopping from well-known, big-brand websites. Do not use shopping sites that you have heard of for the first time or that do not have security certificates such as TLS or SSL.
- Make sure website addresses start with "https" on checkout pages.
- Do not click on links in e-mails or SMS from people you do not know. Do not fill out the forms in these messages.
- Call your relatives before doing what is requested in suspicious social media or e-mails from your relatives. Your account may have been hacked and used for malicious purposes.
- Do not give credit to people who call you for internet banking fraud and say that your account has been stolen. In order to prevent such situations, inform your bank or the prosecutor's office about the numbers that you find objectionable.
- Do not share your online banking passwords with anyone, including bank officials.
Check your credit card statements carefully. If there is a purchase on the statement that you did not make, contact your bank immediately. - Be sure to read the privacy policy text before signing up for a website you have just heard of and have not taken action on before.
- It is not enough for you to be knowledgeable about all these measures. Inform especially children and the elderly about internet fraud. Make sure that all members of your family are aware of all of these items.
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