These and other questions were answered in the digital development department of the Lviv regional government.
Today, basic needs can be fulfilled on the Internet: buy food, medicine, clothes, household goods, pay utility bills, order food from public catering establishments, find and rent premises, etc. During the full-scale war, payment fraud did not disappear, on the contrary, cyber fraud and cybercrime increased. The most popular method of fraud with payment cards in Ukraine, as well as in the world, traditionally remains social engineering. Read more about the most common schemes used by fraudsters on the Internet and how to protect yourself and your loved ones:
Beware of duplicate sites and fictitious online stores
One of the most common types of Internet fraud is the creation of duplicate sites and fictitious online stores. Unfamiliar or suspicious sites may offer products that do not exist or use your personal information to commit fraud. Therefore, never leave your personal data on unfamiliar or suspicious sites. Before entering your details, make sure you are on the official website.
Also, beware of sellers who offer items at extremely low prices with partial or full prepayment. This may be a sign of a fake online store.
It is better to use verified online sites, the administrators of which can guarantee a refund in the event that the product is not sent or is of poor quality. If you need to use the services of an unknown online store, then be sure to read reviews about the seller and buy goods with cash on delivery – pay the price of the goods after receiving and inspecting them. Remember that your safety on the Internet depends on your caution. Don’t give cheaters a chance to take you out of the game!
Have you won a valuable prize?
Yes, this is important information for those who search for jobs online or receive notifications about winnings and prizes. Fraudsters are constantly creating new ways to deceive, so it is important to be careful and not fall victim to fraudsters. First of all, you should search for a job on official websites and check the employer. If you receive a suspicious message about a win or a prize, you should check the information and contact the organizers of the promotion or the company indicated in the message. Do not give personal information or money to strangers over the Internet. Be careful and careful not to become a victim of Internet fraudsters.
Do not believe all reports
Fraudsters constantly use fake messages from banking institutions to panic victims and convince them to send their personal details. It is important to remember that no communication from a bank or other organization should require you to send personal data via e-mail or messages on social networks. If you receive such a message, it is best not to respond to it and contact the bank or organization to make sure the message is from them.
Never share your personal data with third parties or send money unless you are sure of the truth of the facts stated in the message.
Internet safety rules
The Internet scams listed above are the most common, but not exclusive. Every day new types of fraud appear on the Internet. In order not to fall into the traps of fraudsters, it is worth observing the following rules when conducting transactions on the Internet:
Do not indicate your personal data on unverified sites;
Do not tell anyone the validity period of the bank card and the CVV code;
Check the hyperlinks and content of the site for compliance with the official data of the companies;
In case of receipt of disputed letters or messages, do not make any payments until the circumstances of the situation that arose are established;
Do not prepay unverified online stores;
Do not use unverified job ads that promise quick earnings for making a deposit;
Install a reliable antivirus and regularly update it;
Do not use the same password for different accounts;
Do not open dubious files and letters received from unknown or unverified senders;
Check privacy settings on social networks and other web services to protect your personal data;
Do not download unfamiliar programs and applications from the Internet without first checking for viruses and malware;
If you notice any suspicious activity on your online account, such as unusual input data or unfamiliar transactions, you should contact support or an information security professional as soon as possible.
The recommended list of series, which are especially important in wartime and will help protect against Internet fraudsters, can be viewed at the following links:
Basics of cyber hygiene;
Cybernetics;
Carefully! Cyber fraudsters.