Category: frauds

Staying active on social media is a popular trend, and WhatsApp is one of the prominent platforms facilitating connections with both businesses and loved ones. However, security experts warn that, like any online service, this Facebook-owned subsidiary is susceptible to nefarious activities that can compromise users’ bank accounts and reputation. To safeguard WhatsApp users from scams and online fraud, here are eight tips to follow:

Prize Schemes: Avoid clicking on links promising prizes or lottery winnings, as these could be traps designed to extract sensitive information such as birthdates, online banking passwords, and email credentials.

Fake Job Offers: Be cautious about job offers that seem too good to be true. Scammers often exploit the allure of enticing job titles and salaries to target educated users. Stay vigilant and refrain from clicking on links that prompt the entry of critical details.

Unknown Calls with Suspicious Profile Pictures: Hackers frequently pose as attractive individuals to entice victims. They may initiate calls, request explicit content, and later use it for blackmail. Never engage in conversations or accept calls from unknown senders, regardless of their claimed identity or appearance.

Bank Alerts: Exercise caution with messages claiming to be bank alerts, urging users to complete KYC procedures to unlock their accounts. These links often lead to scams aimed at draining funds from unsuspecting users.

Holiday Purchase Scams: During holiday seasons, scammers exploit the festive atmosphere by sending messages prompting users to make payments for nonexistent purchases. Be wary of such messages, as they are designed to compromise your device’s security.

Netflix or Amazon Prime Subscription Messages: Companies like Amazon and Netflix do not send subscription messages via WhatsApp. If you encounter such messages, be skeptical, as they could be attempts to trick you into falling for an over-the-top subscription scam.

Parcel Delivery Issues: Messages about missed parcel deliveries or delivery problems might be deceptive. Before clicking on embedded links, verify the information with family or friends to avoid falling prey to malicious schemes.

Social Media Messages: Messages from social media platforms about their latest services and products usually come from registered senders. If a message lacks sender information, refrain from clicking on any links and instead inquire further to prevent potential regret.

By staying vigilant and following these tips, WhatsApp users can minimize the risk of falling victim to scams and protect themselves from online fraud.

The post Eight 8 WhatsApp message links that you should never click on appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

Are you one of those who play games by investing real money to earn double or triple the amount in return? If yes, then you should be wary of scammers who are indulging in various kinds of gaming frauds.

Account switching, account takeover, fake identity and promo abuse, money laundering, phishing scams, and fake websites intended to steal sensitive information are some of the frauds targeting gamers these days.

Apart from these, there are also large-scale gaming frauds lurking in the gaming space. Hackers develop a website and offer a wallet to users to make money and transfer the amount scored in their wallet to other accounts. However, as soon as the user wins the trust, the gaming website drains all the money accumulated in the wallets of users and shuts down the site, making the users lose their investment as well as their hard-earned money.

So, how can you protect yourself from falling prey to such scams? It’s simple: just be vigilant and follow these steps to make your living out of gaming secure:

1.) Always enable MFA for accounts and wallets that offer better security when it comes to storing and transferring funds.

2.) Installing an anti-malware solution helps identify online threats beforehand and safeguards the device from falling prey to phishing.

3.) If you are still using public Wi-Fi and devices that are meant for public use (like computing devices in internet cafes), ensure that you always log out of your account.

4.) Never download apps and extensions from external sources other than the website, as it could push you into a scam.

5.) Never trust those you meet in a gaming chatroom and never hand over your personal financial details to them, as chatrooms are turning into earning paradises for some nasty minds.

6.) While buying games online, make sure that you purchase them from an approved vendor.

7.) Most reliable gaming platforms offer customer support to report violations and scams, so it’s better to ensure that the service provider is hosting such a service before indulging in the games.

8.) Many gaming platforms are becoming KYC compliant as they can know who the user is and track them down when anything suspicious takes place due to them.

Gaming frauds are a serious threat, so it’s essential to take precautions and protect yourself from scammers.

The post Gamers playing with real money should be wary of scammers. appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.