How to protect against fraud. How to protect yourself from scammers. What schemes are used by telephone scammers
In today's world, people share a lot of personal information online, including credit card and social security numbers. You should learn how to protect yourself from online scammers and hackers. Information is exactly what modern scammers are aiming for and they can completely ruin your life if they get the information they need, so be very careful with your data.
If you are a victim of a scam, please report it.
If you are the victim of an online scam, you need to report it to the police. You can fill out the form on the Online Crime Complaint Center website, as well as other similar websites. The more people report such crimes, the more scammers get arrested. So, you need to protect yourself online, but also be aware of other forms of scams, such as phone scams.
Protect your personal data
Never respond to requests for your personal or bank account information online or over the phone. If you are asked for your insurance number, ask if other information can be provided. Pay attention to compelling messages from banks, charities, and government agencies. Use trusted sources of contact information to confirm requests for information, such as the bank's official website or the phone number on your card.
Don't Share Too Much
Do not post information such as your birthday, mother's maiden name, pet's name, and so on on social networks. Here's how you can protect yourself right now: go to your social media profile and delete any personal information you find there.
Update
Install anti-virus software on your computer and update the databases. Use only the latest version of your browser. Install all patches and updates as soon as they are released.
Increase the difficulty
What else is an easy way to protect yourself online? Your password. Use unique and difficult passwords. Do not enter passwords when using a public wireless network.
Be aware of fake online lotteries and contests
All offers that require payment or personal information from you before you receive your reward are scams. Therefore, you always need to check the legitimacy of each proposal. Ask the sender for contact details and all the necessary information about the company that holds the contest. Once you start asking a lot of questions and demonstrate that you can't be forced to make an instant decision, most scammers will leave you behind.
Get rid of papers
Use e-applications and direct deposit, and pay your bills online.
Don't follow the wave of work-from-home excitement
Thoroughly check the company that offers you work from home by making as many phone calls and Internet inquiries as possible. When in doubt, visit your local law enforcement agency and seek expert advice. All offers to earn money by sending goods sent to your address are fraudulent. Unfortunately, many of these schemes not only make you a victim of a scam, but also make you look like a scam.
Find out what your bank is doing to protect you
You should study the anti-fraud provisions that your bank offers to its customers. All major banks offer credit and debit card protection, and some even officially guarantee the security of online transactions.
Keep track of your finances
Monitor your bank account and the status of your cards every week. Subscribe to alerts that will be sent to you by mail or directly to your phone by your bank. Monitor your private and public information online for unauthorized activity. You can order reports from your bank on the status of your account and your credit or debit card. Additional paid services will allow you to track your credit and personal identification information, social security numbers and online transactions in more detail and more carefully.
Today it is very difficult to imagine the life of a modern person without social networks, because if not everyone, then many have a page on one of the popular sites. Over time, scammers also began to use social networks willingly, and as a result, the number of cybercrimes has seriously increased. Columnist website lawyer Yegor Gorbunov tells how to protect yourself from scammers and what to do if you are nevertheless deceived.
Varieties of fraud
Beggars on the web
Almost every Internet user has encountered this type of fraud. The scheme is simple, scammers post photos of sick children who need urgent expensive surgery, homeless animals who need money for maintenance, etc. Under the photo is placed the number of the account to which the money must be transferred. These posts either flash in your news feed from reposts made by your merciful friends, or come to you in messages. In these messages, in addition to photographs, there is a burning text with pleas for help. The calculation here is made on your compassion.
Account hacks
The bottom line here is that a message comes from your friend on the social network with a request to transfer funds to the account indicated by him. He explains this is a difficult situation that arose suddenly and as soon as he is at home, he will return the money to you by transfer to the card and explain everything, at the same time he asks you not to call the phone. As soon as you help your "friend" by transferring funds to his account, he immediately "disappears" without saying "thank you", and after a while he receives a message that his social network account has been hacked. Congratulations, your money has gone "nowhere", you have become another person who has replenished the pocket of a sophisticated swindler.
Electronic wallets
Most often, to steal your passwords and secret information, scammers use "spam mailings" to your email address, their text usually says that your wallet is blocked, you must follow the link and enter personal data. As soon as the instructions of the scammers are completed by you, they can easily use the electronic wallet for their own purposes.
security check
The essence of this type of fraud is to send messages on behalf of the bank to your email address that they are trying to debit funds from your account in a fraudulent way, therefore, in order to protect the card and cancel the debit operation, you need to send to the number of the specified phone confirmation code, which will come after a while. You, succumbing to excitement and panic, act clearly according to their instructions, naturally, without reading the text of the message (which indicates that this code confirms the debiting of funds from your account), send a confirmation code to the specified phone number. By sending the specified code, as it turns out later, you personally pay for purchases, services and transfer funds to the accounts of other persons.
Online dating
Having met a charming man or a pretty girl online, at their urgent request, you send them your photos of intimate content.
The payback for this can be blackmail with the distribution of correspondence or candid photos to your friends or relatives who are on the list of friends on this social network. The scammer sends a bank account number to which you must transfer the amount of money indicated by him, otherwise, he threatens to perform the above actions.
Buying a thing
There are various shops on the Internet that sell fashion clothes, accessories, used sports equipment and much more.
As a rule, the seller asks for an advance payment for such a product to a bank account, and even in the amount of one hundred percent of its value. As soon as you pay for the purchase, the seller immediately disappears with your money.
How to protect yourself
- Do not respond to messages asking for help to sick people or animals, and, even more so, do not transfer money to them! If you really want to help, then contact the aid funds that are registered in the Russian Federation, information about them is posted on their official websites.
- In no case do not respond to strange messages from friends in which they ask to transfer money to them. If you are already worried about your friend or loved one, then call him and ask about what happened on the phone.
- Do not respond to messages that scammers are trying to deduct funds from your account, do not click on links sent by scammers. If you really have doubts, then call the bank's hotline, but in no case do not call the phone number indicated in the link or in the message!
- If you do not want your personal life and candid photos not to become public, do not share this with strangers.
- Come up with an original and complex password for the mailbox to which you will register a social network account.
- If you want to purchase something online, don't pay upfront for it. A self-respecting seller receives payment for the goods when they receive them at the post office or at the sales office of such a store.
What to do if you are still scammed
If you suddenly realize that you have become a victim of a crime, immediately report this to law enforcement agencies and ensure that a criminal case is initiated and the police department provides you with a notification coupon that your application has been accepted. At the same time, do not forget to attach screenshots of all correspondence confirming the validity of your appeal.
Remember that there are many people around who want to "profit" at your expense, do not give them a reason to do this, be vigilant!
If you have any questions about the topic, you can ask them below through a special form.
Some of the tips may seem elementary to you, but this is where security begins.
Card fraud methods
The imagination of criminals is boundless. Literally every year there are new, more sophisticated methods. Let's consider the main ones.
Fraud with bank cards is called carding.
Let's start with the "classics". You have come to withdraw money from an ATM. Hurry up, literally on the run, enter the PIN-code, while chatting on the phone. You didn't even look at the inconspicuous kid in a baseball cap and dark glasses peering over your shoulder. But he watched you very carefully. He spied and remembered the numbers that you entered. Further elementary GOP stop- and farewell, money.
Also, in the confusion, you can not see that in front of you is not a real ATM, but a fake. After all, the device is exactly like a real one. Stickers, instructions - everything is as it should be. You insert the card, enter the PIN code, and the screen displays: “The device is faulty”, “A system error has occurred”, “Insufficient funds” or something like that. Well, it happens. You go looking for another ATM. But before you find it, the scammers will empty your account. After all, with the help phantom ATM they have already read all the necessary data about your card.
Often imitate ATM malfunction. For example, late in the evening you return home and decide to cash out your salary on the way. We inserted the card, entered the PIN code, the amount - everything is going fine. The card capture reader gave out the card, but the tray where the money should appear does not open. Broken? Maybe! It's dark around, you need to call the bank and find out what happened. You walked literally ten meters away, and smart thieves had already peeled off the adhesive tape and took your money. Yes, yes, simple adhesive tape did not issue bills.
Another approach is called "Lebanese loop". This is when a lasso from photographic film is inserted into the card reader. If you hit him, the card can no longer be pulled out. As a rule, there is an “assistant” right there: “Yesterday, the ATM ate my card in exactly the same way, I entered this combination and PIN code, and it all worked.” You try, fail, and go to the bank for help. At this time, the Good Samaritan takes the card and goes to empty it. He knows the PIN. You yourself have just entered it openly. Remember?
However, an ATM can be real and even serviceable. This is not a problem if attackers have skimmer. This is a device for reading information encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card. Physically, the skimmer is an overhead block attached to the card reader, while it looks like part of the ATM structure.
On the left - an ATM without a skimmer, on the right - with a skimmer
With the help of a transmitter, fraudsters receive information from the skimmer and make fake cards. They will use the skimmed card, but the money will be debited from the original account. Hence the name of the method - skimming, from the English "skim cream".
How do they know the PIN? In addition to the skimmer, they have other devices. For example, overlay keyboard. It completely imitates the real one, but at the same time remembers the key combinations you type.
Keyboard overlay
As an option - a miniature camera aimed at the keyboard and disguised as a box with advertising booklets.
Hidden camera
Type of skimming shimming. Instead of bulky overlays, a thin elegant board is used, which is inserted through the card reader directly into the ATM. Further, the scheme is the same as with skimming. But the degree of danger is higher: it is almost impossible to see that there is a “bug” in the ATM. It is consoling, however, that it is rather difficult to make a shim - its thickness should not exceed 0.1 mm. Almost nanotechnology. :)
Phishing- a common method of Internet fraud. Most of you don't need to explain what it is. Perhaps someone even received a “letter from the bank” with a request to follow the link and clarify the details. Moreover, the phishing page looked like a real one, the same colors, fonts, logos, except for an annoying “typo” in the address bar.
Recently, a subspecies of phishing has been spreading more and more - vishing. Simply put, divorce over the phone. Fraudsters simulate an autoinformer call. A frightening robotic voice informs you that your card has been blocked or hacked, or you urgently need to pay off your loan debt. Call this number for details. You call, and the polite "operator" asks you to "verify" the card number, its expiration date, verification code ... Once you have dictated the last digit, you can say goodbye to your money. By the time you come to your senses, they will already be spent in some online store.
By the way, due to the fact that it is not necessary to have a physical card to use it, fraudsters are increasingly using methods social engineering. So I almost got scammed.
I sold furniture. Placed an ad with photos on a well-known site. I specified a number through which no authentication passes for me. Soon a man called. He introduced himself as Vasily, an employee of a company that rents apartments for rent. He said that they liked my sofa - they take it without looking! The money will be transferred to my card right now. No problems. I often buy on the Internet, for this purpose I have a special card. There was nothing to write off from her then, but replenish - please. But one number was not enough for the caller - the interlocutor asked for another expiration date and CVV2. I did not name, but Vasily was offended. He told me who I was and where I needed to go, and hung up.
Most cards are now tied to a phone number in order to confirm transactions using SMS messages or, for example, logging into the Internet bank. What attackers don’t do to get hold of the right SIM card: they steal phones, intercept SMS, make duplicate SIMs, and so on.
Safety rules when using cards
Having issued a debit or credit card at the bank, we receive a banking service agreement and an envelope with a PIN code. It is a pity that, in addition to this set, they do not include a memo with elementary security rules for cardholders. It should include the following recommendations.
- If possible, make yourself a hybrid card - with a chip and a magnetic stripe (unfortunately, cards with a chip only are almost never used in Russia). Such a card is better protected from hacking and forgery by skimming.
- Learn the PIN code by heart. If there is no hope for memory, write it down on a piece of paper, but keep it separately from the card.
- Never, under any circumstances, disclose to third parties the PIN code and CVV2 code of the card, as well as its validity period and to whom it is registered. No bank will ask you for these details. And to credit funds to your account, only the 16-digit number indicated on the front of the card is enough.
- Do not use so-called salary cards for payments in stores and online purchases. It is better to transfer money from a card account to a personal account or set daily limits for all types of transactions performed.
- Choose ATMs located inside bank offices or at secure points equipped with video surveillance systems.
- Do not use suspicious ATM models. And before inserting the card into the terminal, carefully inspect it. Is there anything suspicious on the keyboard or in the card reader? Is there a strange advertising tray hanging nearby?
- Feel free to cover the keyboard with your hand and ask especially curious comrades in line to step aside. If problems arise, do not use the advice of "random assistants" - without leaving anywhere, immediately call the bank and block the card.
- If you have lost your card, and also if you have reason to believe that third parties have learned its details, immediately contact the bank and block it.
It's easiest to call. If you have the card in your hands, you can see the support number on the back of the card. As a rule, contact centers work around the clock. If the card is left in the ATM and you do not know the phone number of your bank, call the ATM maintenance company. The number must be indicated on the terminal.
In addition, find out about the possibilities and conditions of card insurance at your bank. Some credit institutions have special programs to protect customers from fraudsters and reimburse them for damages.
Banking safety rules
You can take advantage of a large package of services without leaving your home. For example, pay for something or transfer money to your own or someone else's account.
Banking - remote banking service.
Allocate Internet and SMS banking. The first allows you to carry out transactions through the client's personal account on the bank's website or through the application, and the second involves informing about transactions via SMS messages.
In order to use banking without the risk of losing money, the following basic precautions must be observed.
- Do not log into the Internet Bank from other people's computers or from public unsecured networks. If this still happened, at the end of the session, click "Exit" and clear the cache.
- Install an antivirus on your personal computer and update it in a timely manner. Use modern versions of your browser and email programs.
- Do not download files received from unverified sources, do not follow untrusted links. Do not open suspicious emails and block the sender immediately.
- Unless necessary, do not enter any of your personal data, in addition to your login and password.
- Check your address bar. A secure HTTPS connection must be used. And the slightest mismatch with the bank's domain almost certainly means that you are on a phishing site.
- Come up with a complex password to enter your personal account, and also use one-time passwords requested by banks to confirm actions in your personal account.
Remember! Banks do not send messages about blocking cards, and in a telephone conversation they do not ask for confidential information and codes associated with customer cards.
To protect the SIM card to which the card is linked, promptly notify the bank when you receive suspicious messages and in no case call the numbers indicated in them. Inform the bank if you have changed your number or lost your SIM card. Set a password on your phone and do not remove the block from the screen if someone else is watching your actions. And if the SIM card is issued to you personally, then prohibit its replacement by proxy.
What to do if scammers deducted money from the card
Disputes between customers and banks are not uncommon. The former, having learned about the unauthorized debiting of funds from their accounts, ask to return their hard-earned money, and the latter often shrug: “You yourself told the scammers everything.”
In 2011, Federal Law No. 161 “On the National Payment System” came into force, designed to streamline and change for the better the practice of providing payment services. In particular, he established the legal foundations for the entire payment system as a whole and adjusted the rules for non-cash payments, as well as the issuance and use of electronic money.
In 2014, article 9 of this law came into force. The norm protects bank card users from fraud. The law establishes the presumption of innocence of clients. The Bank is obliged to reimburse the amounts transferred from the client's account as a result of an operation not authorized by him, unless it is proved that the client himself violated the procedure for using an electronic payment instrument.
From September 26, 2018, banks will legally be able to block customer cards if they suspect that fraudsters are transferring money from them. After blocking, the bank must inform the account holder about this, and he will either have to confirm the operation or report an attempted theft.
In other words, the law delimits the responsibility of the bank and the client.
- Did the bank inform the customer about the unauthorized transaction? If not, the responsibility lies entirely with the bank. If informed, go to point number 2.
- Did the client inform the bank no later than the next working day after the notification from the bank that this operation was performed without his (client's) consent? If not, the responsibility lies with the customer. If informed, go to point number 3.
- Was the bank able to prove that the client violated the procedure for using electronic money? If so, the responsibility lies with the client. If not, the bank is fully responsible and is obliged to reimburse the client for the entire amount of the disputed transaction.
A prerequisite for the reimbursement of unauthorized debited funds is to notify the bank about the use of the card without the consent of its holder.
Tell the bank that the card is being used by someone else no later than one day following the day the customer discovered the fraud.
Meeting this deadline is very important. Overdue - you can not count on a refund.
In addition, the client must have proof of the notification in his hands. We are talking about the second copy of the appeal to the bank with a note of acceptance made by an authorized employee, or a written notification of sending a valuable registered letter with a list of attachments to the bank's address.
Contacting the bank does not cancel or replace the appeal to law enforcement agencies.
conclusions
So, a brief algorithm of actions in case of illegal debiting of funds from a bank card is as follows:
- Do not panic, call the bank and block the card. Plus, we ask the operator to name the account balance and the last transactions made.
- During the day we run to the bank and write a statement. Be sure to endorse our copy of the application with an authorized employee of the bank.
- If the employees of the credit institution in any way prevent this and refuse to accept the application (the forms have run out, the technical break, and so on), we turn to the prosecutor's office.
- We write a statement to the police. Especially if you are faced with robbery or robbery.
- We are waiting for a refund.
If the bank refuses to refund funds debited from the card, referring, for example, to a violation of the procedure for using electronic money, you can defend your rights in court.
The victims of scammers are most often people who live or stay alone in an apartment for a long time. As a rule, these are the disabled, lonely pensioners and children left unattended by adults. To protect themselves and their loved ones from the actions of scammers, the police have developed a guide. The instructions contain the most common schemes for the actions of scammers, as well as advice on how to act in a particular case. The AP publishes a manual distributed by the Amur Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Situations to watch out for:
1. You receive a call ostensibly from a polyclinic and are told that you or your relatives have been diagnosed with a dangerous disease. Regardless of the complexity of the “performance” of crooks (your medical history, the name of a relative, the name of the district doctor may be mentioned), this is a fraud. A real doctor would never give such information over the phone. Sooner or later, scammers will say that only their expensive medicine or surgery can help. Don't believe! This is a lie!
2. The phone receives calls or messages from unknown numbers with a request to put money into the account in order to help children or receive a large prize supposedly won. It's a lie!
3. They call you with a message that your relative or friend had an accident, behind bars, in the hospital, and now you need to pay a bail, a fine, a bribe - in general, pay off. These are crooks! Technique today even allows you to fake a person's voice.
The fraudster, using a mobile phone, sorting through the numbers in ascending or descending order of the last digit, calls the phone (landline or mobile) appears to be a relative or acquaintance and in an excited voice reports that he was detained by the police (customs, border service) for committing one or another crimes or offenses (traffic accidents, possession of weapons or drugs, causing grievous bodily harm). Informs that there is an opportunity for a certain remuneration to "solve the issue." Then another swindler enters the conversation, who introduces himself as a law enforcement officer. He says in a confident tone that he has helped people in this way more than once. But if earlier money was brought directly to him, now it is undesirable to do so, as he is afraid of losing his job. Money must be brought to a certain place and transferred to a specific person, or their acquaintance will come for them.
The public danger of such crimes lies in the fact that, in addition to causing material and moral damage to the victims, law enforcement officers are discredited.
The victims are most often elderly people. Scammers call phones, introduce themselves as employees of various departments or law enforcement agencies, report an accident that happened to relatives or close people of the subscriber, and then ask to transfer money to provide assistance. Victims transfer money through terminals or transfer it to a courier who has arrived.
As a rule, malefactors call at night, or early in the morning. Confused by an unexpected call, people are informed that their closest relative is in a difficult situation or a serious car accident, that his life and health are threatened due to unpaid debts. Further, the interlocutor offers his potential victim to "help" a relative. As a rule, this requires the transfer of funds to the specified details or their transfer to designated persons.
Citizens, wanting to immediately help a loved one, follow the lead of scammers and transfer the necessary amounts to them.
What should be done:
1. Be vigilant, calm, do not be afraid of intimidation and threats!
2. Having received a message on a mobile phone about the problems of loved ones and an offer to resolve the issue by transferring money, do not panic, do not rush to collect money. Say you don't have money. It is necessary to interrupt the conversation and try to contact the relative who allegedly got into trouble.
3. When you receive a call from a phone number you don't know from a supposedly familiar person who says that he is in trouble and urgently needs money, be sure to ask personal questions. For example, where he went on vacation for the last time, what are the names of your relatives, his house number, the location of the dacha, etc.
4. Do not trust strangers and unfamiliar people, suspicious calls and SMS. It should be remembered: you should not let a stranger into your house, even if he introduced himself as an employee of a social service or government agency. Ask him to show his ID. Do not be shy right there, without letting the visitor into the house, check the data by phone. If you can't do it yourself, ask relatives or neighbors. If in doubt, call the police immediately.
5. If you receive SMS from unknown numbers with a request to deposit money allegedly erroneously credited to your account, or with a message about a large cash prize and an offer to send an SMS message or call the specified number to receive a prize, do not do this. If you receive a suspicious SMS, delete it immediately and in no case call back the specified number.
6. Remember that by entering into a conversation with scammers who pretend to be bank operators, and by performing any actions on the card, you will lose your savings. Contact the bank support service or contact the operator at your bank office. Do not disclose your PIN code and details of your bank card to anyone. Remember that no bank independently blocks the card - only you can do this. Card blocking messages are sent by scammers.
7. You should know: bank employees never ask for passwords and SMS confirmation codes by phone - never tell anyone! Be attentive to SMS and e-mail messages on behalf of the bank, which contain information about blocking your card, never call back the numbers indicated in these messages, get all additional information from the official representatives of the bank at the numbers indicated on the card.
8. Never go to the bank's website online using links from unfamiliar sites and social networks. When shopping online, use trusted payment services.
9. Be vigilant! Don't give criminals a chance to cash in! If you think that you are being subjected to criminal assault, call the police - they will help you!
There have always been enough thieves who want to profit at the expense of others, but today you can meet them not only in real life, but also in online life. Phishing is widespread here - a type of Internet fraud, the purpose of which is to gain access to personal data: logins, passwords and other information. MTS experts tell you how to protect yourself from deceivers and save your property.
Phishing is the word “tracing paper”, which in translation from English means “fishing”. Network "fishermen" are called phishers, their fraud is based on users' ignorance of network security rules. The antivirus on your smartphone will help protect you from some types of phishing.
Phishing: what do scammers want to steal?
The first and main question that you need to answer to yourself is: what virtual treasures do you have? The dangers may be:
- Bank card data. If you pay online and keep your savings on the same card, consider what will happen when someone gets access to it.
- Logins and passwords for services with a paid subscription. Bought an annual subscription to a video service? Paid access to the virtual library? Your "reader's" can be stolen.
- Accounts in social networks. Even if you are not a top blogger with millions of subscribers, your logins and password are of interest to phishing thieves: for example, they can be sold to illegal like and repost cheaters or ask for a loan on your behalf.
- Passwords for mailboxes. What does your work or personal mail store? Often - everything from confidential documents to accounts in Internet services.
Now that you know what phishers might be after, let's take a look at the bait options for these anglers.
Types of phishing: pop-up banner
The main technique of phishers is to imitate well-known sites in order to obtain personal information from users with their help. Pop-up banners of various content can lead you, for example, to a fake login page on a social network. The surest way not to fall for the hook is to carefully look at the address bar. Any differences in the domain name should alert you.
If your browser automatically fills in the login and password fields for authorization, another wake-up call may be an unexpected request for data when it usually does not happen. Here we explained in detail why storing passwords in your own memory or on a piece of paper and entering them manually every time is unsafe and how to entrust the most valuable to special programs.
Types of Phishing: Big Sale
An even more cunning and insidious type of scam also involves disguising itself as well-known shopping sites. You see an advertisement for your favorite online store that has started a delicious sale, or maybe even receive a message about it with an attached link. Move on, you see great prices and huge “BUY” buttons, which will immediately lead to the payment section, where you will need to enter your card details.
There are several ways to check if you are in a real store. The first is to enter its name in a search engine and check the results. It is quite possible that you will see a difference in page addresses, from one to several letters, or a different design; all this says only one thing - you don’t need to buy anything on the site with a sale.
The second way is to call the store's hotline and find out about current promotions. Just be careful, you can’t take the phone number from the sale page, as there may be a “fake” manager on the other end of the wire.
Gift message with questionable link
Types of phishing: debts, fines, transfers
Phishers often send out "chain letters" or messages, notifying, for example, of a debt on a SberVanke account or a fine in the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate. In them you can see a link with an offer to pay them instantly at a discount or enter bank card details to unlock it. The effect of surprise will do its job, and, subjected to unrest, you will blindly fall into the clutches of intruders.
There is only one advice here: breathe out, look away from your computer or smartphone and double-check the information. But only at the source, and not by clicking on the link received. For example, contact bank support by calling the hotline, or check fines through the application.
Looks like a mistranslation
Types of phishing: problems with mail or account
Another option for emails from phishers is to report problems with your mailbox. There are a lot of options, ranging from “spam was sent from your address, follow this link within 24 hours so that it is not blocked” to “free space in the mail is running out, activate additional megabytes.” The level of forgery depends on the technical sophistication of the scammers, and if the letter is from the address [email protected] immediately arouse suspicion [email protected] may confuse many.
In any case, it should be alert that in the letter you are required to act immediately and are asked to additionally enter your username and password.
Attempted theft of Apple ID
Two-factor identification - garlic, repels many vampires, or rather, an excellent tool to protect against scammers. If you enable this setting for authorization in the mail, the email box is closed by two doors: to enter it, you will have to enter not only the username and password on the site, but also the code from the SMS.
Phishing protection: how not to fall for any tricks?
The universal rule for fighting phishing is pretty simple: don't let your emotions get the best of your mind. Check website addresses before taking action, verify information from alternative sources, and store your passwords in a safe place. Do not chase cheapness - the desire to save money, or simply "thirst for a freebie", in this case, is the main bait.
We will be glad if our advice will help you not to fall for the hook of scammers on the net. If you have not learned anything new from this text, share it with your family and friends to protect them from phishers. After all, knowledge is the most powerful weapon in the fight against Internet scammers. In cases where you admit that any of your explanations may be difficult for a person close to you, do not be too lazy to install at least a free antivirus program on their smartphone. It will protect the gadget, if not from everyone, but from many traps that phishers have set up on the Internet.