How can I avoid Financial Internet Scams?

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Online Identity theft is any Internet fraud that results in acquiring your data, such as unique Logins and Passwords, usernames, banking information, or credit card numbers. Moreover, it is theft of your financial identity!

• How to avoid donation scams Be on guard if you receive an unsolicited email message from a charitable organization asking for money concerning a news event such as a natural disaster, a national election, or a significant change in the world financial system. Don’t open any attachments or click any links. Manually type the charity’s web address into your browser’s address bar and make sure the request is legitimate before donating.
• Phoney links in email If you see a link in a suspicious email message, don’t click on it. These links might also lead you to .exe files, known to spread malicious software on your computer.
• Fake Alerts and Threats Some thieves use threats that your Hotmail, Google, Facebook or bank account will be closed if you don’t respond to an email message? Internet criminals often use threats that your security has been compromised.
• Spoofing popular websites or companies Scam artists use graphics in email that appear to be connected to legitimate websites like Facebook or your bank. How do they achieve this? Using fake logos to request your Login and Password, you are directed to phoney scam sites or legitimate-looking pop-up windows to ask for your financial information.
• Fake web addresses Internet criminals also use slightly altered web addresses that resemble the names of well-known companies.
• Lies about your computer software Internet criminals might call you on the phone and offer to help solve your unknown computer problems warning of viruses or speed-slow downs. They might try to sell you a software license or an agreement to assist you periodically. In most cases, neither Microsoft nor Apple make unsolicited phone calls to charge you for computer security or software fixes.

Source: Microsoft

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