Top 7 Ways To Stay Safe Online and Avoid Scams

Top 7 Ways To Stay Safe Online and Avoid Scams

The internet is becoming sophisticated and advanced, and so are scammers. In the next ten years, one of the top 10 global threats will be cybercrime and internet insecurity, predicts the World Economic Forum.

The stats may seem scary, but with enough awareness and effective cybersecurity strategies, you can use the internet safely to browse, buy, or communicate. 

Some of the common cyber threats that people generally face are:

  • Ransomware 
  • Phishing attacks
  • Identity theft
  • Mobile payment fraud
  • Charity scams
  • Advance fee scams
  • Fake antivirus software
  • Fake websites

Here are some ways to stay safe on the internet and avoid falling for these scams and frauds. 

Protect Yourself Online and Avoid Fraud With These Techniques

Whether you are shopping online or just browsing social media, scammers can attack you from anywhere, in any form. So, you have to be extra careful and take proper measures to ensure maximum security and identity protection in the online space.

  1. Use strong, unique passwords for each site

This one is a no-brainer. Passwords are meant to be complex. So, you must pick a combination of numbers, letters, symbols, and different letter cases as your passwords.

Don’t use the most common words as passwords. Choose something so personalized that only you know that. Following are some tips for choosing strong passwords:

  • Your password must have 16 or more characters 
  • It should not be your personal information, like your country, birthday, name, or address.
  • Use a passphrase, capitalize some random words, and add symbols
  • Use unique quotes or lines from a movie or book
  • Update your passwords regularly 

Another beneficial hack is using password generators to create unique passwords that are tough to guess and do not follow any pattern. Avoid sharing passwords with others as well.

  1. Install reliable antivirus 

A reliable antivirus can save you from malware and viruses that can potentially steal your information, important files, sensitive data, photos, and other financial data. 

Moreover, if you shop online frequently and make payments, you should install an antivirus to protect your data. They can also detect spam ads and block them instantly to avoid the risk of cyberattacks. 

  1. Update your operating systems 

System update or software update is an important step in ensuring the privacy of your PC or laptop. The best way to guarantee that your system is updated is to enable automatic updates on your device. By doing so, you don’t have to check for regular updates. 

Along with the system, you should also update the apps and software. For instance, office suites, games, plug-ins, and even the antivirus program itself. Developers regularly bring new security features to their products. You can get an extra layer of privacy and security by updating them.

  1. Don’t save your login details on the browser

Saving your login information may be convenient, but it comes with a fair share of risks. 

Browsers store passwords in a predictable location, which makes it easy for malware to locate them. However, physical access to your device, cross-synchronization, and a weak browser security feature may potentially compromise the credentials.

You can use dedicated password managers to save them risk-free. These tools can save multiple passwords, and you can access them with just a click. Plus, you can quickly generate new passwords. The software will autofill them when needed. 

  1. Don’t share personal information

No one can guarantee absolute security in an online space. There are always some loopholes and security gaps in the system that can cause data breaches. 

Hence, you should avoid sharing your highly private and personal information online (especially on social media) because it can cause phishing scams, cyberbullying, or stalking. Once your data is out there, it can become nearly impossible to control or remove from the internet.

  1. Shop from legitimate websites and apps

Scams and frauds related to online shopping are a serious concern. In 2023, almost 42% of scams were related to online purchases. Hence, you must take security precautions to avoid any financial loss. 

When shopping from any website, ensure they are credible, legitimate, and secure. A simple way to assess the security of the website is to check whether it starts from HTTP and has a padlock symbol. If not, consider buying from another brand or store. As a buyer, you can also judge the online shop by its background, history, and reputation.

  1. Don’t open unsolicited emails, WhatsApp messages and DMs

Pop-up ads, suspicious emails, and random links are the major reasons your online security can get compromised. So, do not enter your email address into just any website or open the unverified links they sent you. 

For example, the most common scam many people fall into is the phishing scam, in which scammers ask for sensitive information like bank details, account information, or ID card numbers by impersonating agencies or banks. The goal of the scammers is to trick you into giving them this information so they can access your account or steal your identity.

Conclusion

Cyberattacks and online scams can never leave the internet space. You just have to take proper precautions and utilize the latest technologies to use the internet safely. 

No matter what you are using an app or website for, never leave the passwords saved on the browser. Also, do not click too good to be true offerings that pop up while surfing the web. They are usually spam emails that aim to collect and use your data for cybercrimes.