5 Ways To Stay Safe From Financial Cyber Fraud
In this digital era, everything is accessible with just a click at our doorstep. Grocery shopping, paying bills, purchasing a new dress, or a birthday gift for your loved ones just by sitting at your home is all by virtue of online banking and shopping.
It was never so conventional before as now. On the other hand, your little carelessness also provides an equal opportunity to cybercriminals.
A survey indicated that worldwide an average victim had 142 U.S $ financial loss from cybercrime.
To keep your online shopping and banking secure from cyber fraud, you just need to go after the following necessary tips.
- Avoid Public Networks
Never use public wifi networks for online transactions or shopping. Signing to your online banking account or an e-commerce website requires a credit card number. Cybercrime in the financial sector uses these pieces of information.
Either use VPN or wait until you get back to your own secure network. Meanwhile, save those items in the cart.
2. Pay With Credit, Not With Debit
It is better not to use your debit card To make get your online purchase. Always prefer your credit card. Another good option for payment is a third-party payment service. A debit card is connected to your bank account, and you are at increased risk of financial cyber fraud.
3. Updated Protective Software
You can evade financial loss from cybercrime if you keep security software, Anti-virus, Anti-malware updated on your devices. This is the easiest thing you can do to stay protected.
New versions of such software are constantly released to improve the security against cyber fraud. Updating them will take a few minutes only. Indeed a minor headache than regret.
4. Don’t Click On The Links For Amazing Deals
Did you see a tempting offer and just rushed to begin the purchase? It might indulge you in trouble. Unbelievable deals, whether offered through emails or eye-popping ads on any social media platform are mostly a part of financial cyber fraud.
Stay aware of those emails and website links that can turn into pick-pockets and steal away your money. Check the reviews before clicking or do some research to know more and confirm the credibility.
5. Trust Only On Secure Sites
Ensure first in the browser bar of a site that they use SSL encryption. There must be a lock sign before the site address. It will have “HTTPS” instead of “HTTP” if it is a secure site. On any site which is not secure, your information can be hacked.
Final Verdict
With the increase of online shopping and banking, financial loss from cybercrime also has been enhanced. Online shopping cyber fraud contributed to 35% of all scams worldwide. FBI also has reported an increase in victims of cybercrime in the financial sector.
Online banking and shopping have made so many essential tasks of our life easy, especially after the arrival of COVID 19. But you have to be alert and follow all the above tips to escape any attempt to make you a new victim of cyber fraud.