Cyber-crime refers to crime conducted online. It includes tax and welfare fraud, credit card fraud, and the non-delivery of purchases. It also includes scams, such as fraudulent investment and online auctions.
How does it affect people?
Cyber-crime causes the victims and society as whole billions of dollars. Consider an example, Sandra received an email that she assumed was from her bank asking her to update her online banking details minutes after sending her personal particulars, she was alarmed to see that $4,000 (U.S) had been transferred from her account to a foreign bank, Sandra quickly discovered that she had been scammed.
What can you do?
Be wary! Do not be fooled by professional looking websites, and keep in mind that legitimate financial institutions will not ask you to email highly confidential information. Before buying or investing online, ascertain the company’s reputation.
Analyze a company and its policies. Ask yourself: what is the company’s physical address? Is the phone number correct? Will my purchase involve hidden cost? When will my order be delivered? Can it be returned or refunded?
Be suspicious if an offer looks Too good to be true. The greedy and those who want something for nothing are prime targets for online thieves. The bait may include big money for minimal work, a lone or credit card even though you may have a poor credit rating, or large returns on “low risk” investments. “Take your time in evaluating the legitimacy of any investment offer, “says the U.S federal trade commission (FTC). “The higher the promised return, the higher the risk. Don’t let a promoter pressure you into committing to an investment before you are certain it’s legitimate”.
IDENTIFY THEFT
What is it? Identify theft involves illegally obtaining and using information about someone else’s personal identity in order to commit fraud or some other crime
How does cyber-crime affect people?
Thieves may use your identity to obtain credit cards or loans or to open new accounts. Then they rack up debits in your name even if you eventually get the debts canceled, your financial reputation may remain tarnished for years. “Having a zero credit rating affects everything it is even worse than having money taken “says a victim.
how can i avoid cyber-crime?
Protect sensitive information. If you bank or shop online, change your password regularly, especially if you have use a public computer. And as mention earlier, be highly suspicious of e-mails requesting sensitive personal information. Identity thieves do not use computer only, they try any means they can to get their hands on important documents such as bank statements, check books, credit cards and social security numbers. So keep these things safe, and shred all sensitive documents before discarding them, of course, if you suspect that a document has been lost or stolen, report this immediately.
Keep track of your accounts. Check your account regularly, and look out for unusually transactions. If possible get a copy of your credit report from reputable agency, and note the account s and credit cards linked to your name.
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