How To Avoid Internet Frauds? - Find Out Here


Posted On : October 17, 2022
How To Avoid Internet Frauds? - Find Out Here
In today’s modern world, avoiding online financial transactions or data transfer over the internet is a strenuous task. But then, you don’t stop walking by the roads fearing road accidents. You just become more aware of the road rules and how to escape when some maniac has been driving. That is how one needs to deal with the fraudsters over cyberspace. Find out how to avoid being scammed online in the blog below.
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The internet is a beautiful place with loads of knowledge, scenic views captured from miles away….. and whatnot? But there are always two sides of the coin. With using internet services comes great responsibility to safeguard all your personal data and finances from cyber criminals. People using the internet who are negligent to such possibilities are more prone to being a victim themselves. Even those who are educated and smart enough not to be knocked down eventually become a victim of internet frauds. If it is such a menace, then how to avoid internet frauds?

 

If you have been defrauded via the internet and plan to knock on the doors of court to get the culprit punished, internet fraud lawyers may be of great help. If you wish to know how to prevent internet frauds so that there is no loss in the first place, read this blog till the end.

 

Causes of Internet Frauds

Before landing on how to avoid being scammed online, it is crucial to first understand what makes it so easy to defraud someone over the internet. This way, it will be easier to understand how to prevent internet frauds.

1.    Easy Access

The Internet has made the world reach out to people anytime, anywhere. All you need is a smartphone which has already reached almost everyone’s pockets. Internet services are also omnipresent due to reduced rates. Hence, all one needs to do is to have the intention to do fraud and the knowledge of how to do it.

 

2.    Easy Money

People are often inclined towards quick money making methods. Thefts, financial frauds are a chance for people to make a fortune quickly. That is how this illegal pathway takes away the integrity and fraudsters find it a quick and easy way of making big money.

 

3.    Negligence

As they say, no one can clap with one hand. There are frequent campaigns by the authorities awaring people on how to avoid internet frauds. However, ordinary people often fall prey to threats of closing accounts in lack of KYC, or unsolicited lottery wins. Because of all this, they end up sharing personal information.

 

4.    Anonymity

While using the internet, you are not physically present. Nobody asks for your government issued identity proofs before making accounts on social media websites or even emails. This anonymous nature helps fraudsters evade being tracked.

 

5.    Loss of Direct Evidence

People find the internet as the best way to carry out unwarranted acts like hate comments, making accounts in another’s name, sharing another’s private pictures, etc. The reason being that tracing someone, especially the wrongdoers is tricky over the internet since they already know how not to reveal their true identity while doing unsolicited acts. It is problematic even for the cyber experts to track down the culprits in each and every case.

 

How to Prevent Internet Frauds?

Given below are the pointers if followed diligently, may safeguard the interests of internet users:

 

1.    Use Secured Applications

It is always advisable to smartphone users to download mobile applications from authorised play stores. Do not download applications through any random source/ email link. Also, be vigilant enough while giving in-app permissions. To understand which app permission is the most risky, one should check whether a particular feature is required while the application works. For example, if a photo editing application is asking for permission to make calls, it does not make sense and thus, should not be allowed in the first place.

 

2.    Avoid Public Internet Connections

Free wifi connections at bus stops, hotels, etc. is very tempting for everyone. But little do people know that it is a big threat to their data. Public connections are an easy target for cyber criminals to access more people’s data at one place. And thus, remain in their radar almost at all times. Hence, one should know how to prevent internet frauds by ignoring such temptations.

 

3.    Enable 2-Step Verification

There are various applications which have the 2-step verification feature. It requires entering one PIN/ password followed by another to access the application. One should always enable the same to keep personal data safe, whether it is media files, documents or payment accounts at bay. This will make it difficult for fraudsters to open the application from some other device and thereby prevent internet frauds.

 

4.    Ignore Suspicious Links/ Websites

Whenever you receive a link from random emails, text messages, whatsapp messages, or anything alike, do not open them. Such links may lead to unauthorised websites which eventually track down your own devices and may result in one of the various types of cyber crimes in India

 

5.    Keep Different & Strong Passwords

Whenever someone needs to set a password, people prefer easy-to-remember code sequences like name_date-of-birth or a PIN code with birth details in YYYY or DDMM mode. All such codes are easily traceable by those who know your name or date of birth. So, one should make sure to set passwords that are tricky for someone to guess. Also, these days, one has to keep a lot of passwords for social media, private mails, work mails, applications for financial transactions, etc. People often tend to keep a common password for every place so that they do not forget. What they do not realise is that if a fraudster cracks the password for one application, he/ she can have access to all the accounts having that very password. That is why, it is recommended to have a different password for every account over the internet.

 

6.    Stay Vigilant With Cards

Using credit or debit cards makes users prone to credit card fraud if there is a bit of negligence on their part. Transactions through cards require the physical card with PIN or online transactions with card no., CVV and OTP. While physically making payments, it is advisable to keep the card within sight to avoid fraudsters hacking data through any means. Do not hand over your card to another person in your absence in any case.


7.    Never Share OTP With Anyone

RBI guidelines for unauthorised transactions always restrain people from sharing confidential information with anyone regardless of whether they portray themselves as a bank official, a friend to help, or even a bank/ authoritative officer. Sharing such details with another may be followed with a text message depicting that all the money from your bank account vanished while you yourself aided the fraudsters. Not sharing one time passwords with anyone is the top answer on how to prevent bank frauds in India.

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8.    Keep Your Computer/ Smartphone Updated

Keeping devices used for internet access updated with the latest softwares may ensure safety from viruses/ malware, etc. Outdated softwares is more prone to being targeted for unsolicited acts.

 

9.    Avoid Response to Unsolicited Calls/ Emails

Whenever someone calls reiterating your name and some other details which are normally available in public domain and asks for monetary transfer or seeks some more personal information through call/ SMS/ email, do not respond. Even if you confirm the same to be an authorised or a known person, do not share information which may be a cue to commit some fraud against you.

 

 


Knowing how to avoid internet frauds is important for all internet users. Whenever someone has fallen prey to online crimes, it is also necessary to report such cyber criminals so that another person does not become a target of the same offence.

There are multiple answers to where to report online frauds in India. Informing the concerned bank is important. If the bank does not pay any heed to your complaint or refund the money, there is scope for complaining to the Reserve Bank of India as well. A person may visit the nearest police station to report for internet frauds. Since the crime is committed online over the internet, a complaint at the government's cyber complaint portal can also be done. To access the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, Click Here.

Jurisdiction in cyber crimes is usually a matter of question in case of cyber crimes. If you don’t understand whether your current city or place of previous stay should be the place of proceeding legally, leave the matter to cyber officials. Complaining is necessary to put the authorities in motion. When you register a cyber crime complaint online, all details of location, etc. are entered and thus, the concerned authorities proceed as per their legal jurisdiction. 

Written By:
Vidhikarya

Vidhikarya


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