Nowadays, fraudsters are everywhere! They’re desperately looking for their next victims. This is why individuals and businesses should be about cyber security.
The fact is that you have to be aware of the fact that we are now living in a world where people are increasingly falling victim to criminal activities.
As a matter of fact, cyber crimes are on the rise, and according to BBC News, UK cyber-crime victims lose £190,000 a day. It’s reported that more than a third of victims fell prey to the hacking of social media and email accounts.
From ransomware to phishing, computer and mobile phone hacking, fraudsters are always on the lookout for whatever means to defraud their victims. In fact, hacking via social media and email accounts cost victims around £14.8m in the UK alone.
How to beat fraudsters and keep your money safe
Keeping your money safe is important today as there are several ways fraudsters can get access to your account and personal information. Modern technology is great but unfortunately, it can also be used to defraud you if proper care is not taken.
As a law-abiding citizen, being security conscious will help you to avoid situations that can expose you to danger. This is one of the best ways to equip yourself and business against any sort of cyber attack and cybercrimes.
Below, this article highlights some of the clever ways to effectively beat fraudsters and keep your money safe.
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#1]. Always question uninvited approaches
The majority of fraud victims are uninvitedly approached whether vial their email or mobile phones. Whenever you receive any unsolicited message, it’s important that you contact the company directly to verify the authenticity of the message.
Don’t just overlook suspected fraud incidences, you have to take action before it’s too late. Contact the company directly using their official email or phone number.
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#2]. Don’t share personal information
Your personal information is like your private property that has to be secured. As a security-conscious individual, you should always try to keep any important information about you safe and secure.
There are bad people out there who are interested in knowing your name, date of birth, national identity number, and even your password. Never reveal your password or share your card details over email or any smartphone app.
Also, if you shop online, make sure you check the address of any website you are on. You have to be careful with the level of detail you share on social media sites and always check your privacy settings.
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#3]. Update your passwords
Passwords offer a gateway or access to personal information and data about you. If fraudsters have access to your password, they will highjack and steal your data. Also, they can impersonate and use your data to commit crimes without your knowledge.
As a security-conscious person, you have to understand the importance of passwords and why you should try to change your passwords at least twice a year. Please don’t use passwords that can be easily guessed.
Also, you have to make sure that the passwords you use for online activities such as online banking is unique. Never use the same passwords for all your online activities. For example, use different passwords for your email, online shopping sites, social media websites, and others.
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#4]. Check your bank statements regularly
Your bank statement is an important document that shows all expenses and deposits made into your bank account. All your outgoing payments which include any direct debits or standing orders are also shown.
To be on a safe side, it is important to check your bank statement regularly. This is especially good if you have a high volume of transactions. Then you can immediately contact your bank if there are any transactions that you don’t recognise.
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#5]. Check your credit report
A credit report has come to play an important role in the way the financial world sees you. It’s one of the tools used by the banks or other lenders to decide whether to give you credit facility.
As a matter of fact, your credit score is a sign of your financial health. However, your credit report goes into the detail of the last 6 years of your credit history. Meanwhile, a credit rating is a way of showing your chances of being approved for credit.
This is why every individual needs to understand how credit reports work and how to improve or boost their credit score. Also, it’s important to check your credit report because if someone has used your name to take out a loan or credit card, it may not show on your statements. It’s essential to check your credit report at least once a year for any unusual activity.
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#6]. Update your gadgets regularly
Another clever way to beat fraudsters and keep your moneys safe is to regularly update your gadgets. The fact is that it’s easy for fraudsters to attack you through your gadgets if they don’t have the latest updates.
Therefore, it’s important to always update your computer, tablet, and smartphone operating systems. You have to do this as soon as the updates become available in order to be able to prevent ransomware, phishing and hacking crimes.
Also, IT maintenance is good for data protection and it can go a long way to help you beat fraudsters. Anti-virus software has also become an essential tool to keep your data safe. So, make sure you have trusted anti-virus software installed on all your gadgets.
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#7]. Use voice ID, shred important documents
We are all living in an age where fraudsters are engaging in data mining by all means possible. Even just a tiny bit of your data info can enable fraudsters to impersonate you and use your data to commit crimes.
This is why it is important for all of us to be security conscious. Make sure you shred important documents and any paperwork that reveals personal information such as bank statements, card details, and other sensitive data.
Additionally, banks and other security-conscious establishments have introduced voice ID as an additional layer of security. Voice ID can help protect your account and make it easy for you to call if you have a problem – no passwords to remember.
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