Don't be caught: How to avoid phishing scams
The internet can sometimes feel like a big, old house, full of secret passages, excitement and mystery. But there's a dangerous side to this home. Hidden away in its many dark corners there are crafty criminals and con artists hoping to lure you in - and they could be lurking closer than you think.
The internet's criminal underworld has become much more savvy in its attempts to make off with sensitive information. With a sneaky email here and a misleading message there, they will try to trick you into revealing phone numbers, credit card details, even your online banking code - the more sensitive the information is, the more likely these individuals want to steal it. In fact, according to a survey from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), there were a whopping 15,264 reported instances of phishing and identity theft in 2013 - and Australians lost well over $2 million because of it!
So how can you avoid becoming another statistic? By keeping the following tricks in your back pocket, you can get one step ahead of the ciminals.
What should I look out for?
No doubt your inbox is full of reminder notices, advertising and promotions, but how can you tell the harmless messages from the scams? Sometimes they're easy to pick and you won't think twice before sending them to the bin. As technology gets better, scammers are deviously creating emails or text messages that masquerade as important messages from well-known companies, banks - even the government! These can be a lot harder to identify.
If you receive an urgent-sounding email, put on your detective cap. Phishing emails look genuine, sound important and might even have a realistic internet address. The message might ask you to correct a mistake in your records or update your credit card details. Check out the URL if you've got an inkling of a scam - malicious websites may use a different domain or a variation in spelling. Pull out your magnifying glass, too - scam emails can have a few spelling mistakes and grammar errors in the mix.
Remember: Even if the messages sound urgent, banks and mobile companies don't ask for this kind of information over email. And if you're not sure whether a message is genuine or not, do a bit of research and find the contact details of the institution the email claims to be from - and don't click on any links or give out any of your details.
How can I stop these scammers?
Scam emails have actually become so common that a lot of people don't actually report them - the ACCC found that only 17 per cent of phishing scams were reported in 2013. The first thing you should do if a suspicious-looking email lands in your inbox is let either the institution or a government watchdog, like SCAMwatch. Even if you're able to see the signs, others might not be so savvy.
With cyber crooks hiding in all sorts of places, sometimes you need that extra bit of reassurance. The team at Identity Watch are experts at monitoring criminal forums where identity information is known to be illegally traded. We are constantly looking out for you and let you know if your personal details show up where they shouldn't.