Data protection is essential in today’s digital age, as increasing amounts of personal and financial information are shared online. Always verify the identity of the person or organization you are dealing with online, and never click on links or download files from unknown sources.
Here are some of the most common scams to watch out for related to data protection.
1. Phishing scams designed to collect personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers.
2. Malware that can steal data, track online activity, and access confidential documents.
3. Fake websites or apps that request sensitive data like bank account details.
4. Text messages or emails asking for confirmation of identity and/or financial accounts.
5. Unsolicited requests to sign up for a rewards program or pay a fee to unlock a special feature.
6. Bogus phone calls from scammers pretending to be from legitimate businesses or government agencies with offers of free services or money-back guarantees if you provide them with your personal information.
7. Pop-up advertisements or notifications claiming your computer is infected, posing as security alerts with false virus scans and fake software updates that are actually malicious programs.
8. Online marketplace or auctions with too-good-to-be-true offers at discounted prices for products or services they don’t have in their possession or have no intention of providing. While many internet promotions are legitimate, internet auction fraud is widespread. Watch “Where is my computer” (Internet/eBay) to see how Postal Inspectors tracked down this culprit.
9. Vehicle sales listings using photographs taken online without permission and false descriptions of the vehicles’ condition in order to bait buyers into believing they are getting a great deal when they are not receiving what they were promised at all costs (and paid).
10. Investment schemes promising high returns that either never materialize due to hidden fees and risks associated with unregulated investments or exist solely as Ponzi schemes.
Protect your privacy and remove your personal information from the internet.