Avoid getting scammed: 5 tips to stay safe online

In this article, we would be disclosing methodologies on how to avoid getting scammed online or on the internet.

The Internet has become a very important and significant part of our lives as a human. At one point or the other, we have had a reason to do business, especially one that has to do with finance on the internet.

Even though the internet has been one of man’s most helpful inventions, there are bad sides that come with it.

The smaller the world gets, and the more people get access to the internet, the presence of people with malicious agendas is increasing too. These bad people have devised several means to defraud users of their hard-earned money and these are some of the ways you can avoid falling into it:

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The following are ways to avoid getting scammed online.

Protect your passwords and personal information

Your password is the key to accessing your account online which may include your social media accounts, bank account, Gmail and others. Avoid exposing your passwords to a third party, always be careful so it doesn’t get to a third party who may want to tamper with them. Always activate the two-factor authentication system where apply to keep your data safe.

Avoid clicking links you’re unsure of

A report by CISCO revealed that about 80% of the fraud committed on the internet in 2021 is through phishing. This is one of the means devised by scammers to fraud by sending a link or attachment to you, once you click on it, they can get your data. Using up-to-date security software and avoiding strange links are some of the ways you can protect yourself from this.

Secure platform to shop online

When shopping online, always make sure the site is genuine because top websites get cloned. Amazon, Alibaba and other shopping platforms have a lot of cloned scam sites that are designed similarly. Always make sure you’re on the genuine page and never pay through an insecure payment platform.

Carefully go through the site’s privacy policy

I know we all love to press the ‘i agree” button when we reach the privacy policy page of a website or a software application. It is however important that you carefully read it because you can unknowingly agree to give all the data on your phone to the owner thereby putting you in danger.

Keep your devices up to date

Having the latest update of software applications, security software and browsers defend your devices from being susceptible to malware, viruses and other threat. Update your software applications whenever there’s a new update.