Internet Safety: How To Spot And Avoid Scams

27 January 2023

Individuals and businesses are at increasing risk from online scams. Let’s set the scene.

According to International Data Corporation, there will be more than 40 billion connected devices worldwide by 2025.
Cyber Ventures reported that almost four million records are stolen daily due to data breaches, which is about 45 per second.
And a study from Maryland University demonstrated that there is a new victim of cybercrime every 39 seconds.

Online scams are costly and potentially fatal. While many dangers exist online, raising your awareness and adopting good habits can improve your information security and internet safety.

How to Spot (and Avoid) a Scam

Phishing attempts are the primary ways people are scammed online. Scammers may send these communications via social media and text, but the overwhelming majority use email.

While phishing attacks can be specific – known as spearphishing attacks – the vast majority are sent indiscriminately. Fortunately, this spam will tend to have some giveaways. Spotting these can help protect us and our data.

Demands for Personal Information

Reputable businesses don’t ask for personal information via email or social messaging. Delivery drivers that need you to confirm your full name and address are normally bogus. Banks and government departments never ask their clients to send sensitive data such as bank account information, usernames, or passwords via email.

Offers Too Good to Be True (Probably Are)

Be suspicious when offered extremely low-price goods, services, or holidays. If it makes you wonder how they can afford to make such a deal, the answer is that they expect to add hidden fees, or the offer doesn’t exist. The sender expects to gain valuable personal information from people eager to sign up.

Claims You Have Won Something

It’s exciting to win a contest or lottery draw but ask yourself if you even entered a competition. Messages like these generate excitement and prompt people to act quickly to claim their prize.

Such communications may also suggest that you have been personally and individually selected. In a way, you have been selected, but so have thousands of other people, and not for anything good.

Terrible Spelling and Grammar

Spam is renowned for its major spelling and grammar issues. To avoid scams, remember that businesses spend thousands on marketing. They work hard to ensure their communications are attractive and error-free. If you notice spelling and grammar errors, it’s unlikely to be from a reputable business.

Fake Addresses and Other Impersonation Attempts

Scams often use impersonation to benefit from a brand’s authority. People are more likely to believe a message if it seems to be from Microsoft or the Government.

To avoid falling for this trick, check the URL or email address carefully. A scammer typically alters a business name slightly to make it seem authentic, such as the Facebook instead of Facebook or Microsoft instead of Microsoft.

If the sender claims to be from a big organization but uses a generic email account, like Gmail or Hotmail, this is also a warning.

High-Pressure Tactics

Most scams work best for criminals when the victims don’t think too deeply about their actions. Communications that insist on an urgent, immediate response should be read very carefully. Verify the details where necessary.

More on Avoiding Scams

Now that you know how to spot and avoid specific scams, here are some more tips on how to avoid scammers in general.

Use Reverse Phone Lookup Services to Verify Senders’ Details

One reason the internet is such a hotbed for crime is that it’s easy for criminals to maintain anonymity. Cybercriminals can stay off the radar by using a virtual private network and dealing in wire transfers and cryptocurrency. They can pretend to be someone else, of course; your bank manager; a delivery driver; or an IT help desk technician. Or a friend or family member.

If you’re not sure who you are communicating with, use the internet to your benefit. Go to PhoneHistory or any other reverse phone lookup site to verify people’s contact details. You can do this whenever you have suspicions or simply because you’re dealing with someone you’ve not met in a physical location.

Block and Report Spam

Don’t hit reply, no matter how much you’d like to hit the sender. Giving them a piece of your mind tells them you have an active email address and that other spammers should probably target you.

Most email service providers enable you to block and/or report spam. Ideally, do both. Depending on the email system, you might need to choose “block” before you see the option to report it, or vice versa.

Blocking and reporting spam helps your email provider eliminate spam emails from your inbox. And it can help them protect other users from potentially harmful communications.

Do Not Interact with Potential Scammers

Resist the temptation to click on a link within the message if you are suspicious about the sender’s intent. Clicking a link can signal to the sender that your email address is active and cause malware to be downloaded to your device.

Malware can cause many issues, including:

locking you out of your machine (a distributed denial of service attack (DDoS));
encrypting your data unless you pay a ransom for the decryption key (ransomware);
installing software that allows a third party to track your activities and/or keypresses (spyware).

Read Privacy Notices

Since the implementation of GDPR cybersecurity regulations, a pop-up frequently appears on visiting a website, inviting you to read their privacy policy and asking you to confirm your preferences regarding cookies.

Most websites are reputable with good intent. Sometimes, however, they are willing to sell the information they learn about you to third parties, who may send you anything from unsolicited marketing emails to harmful, targeted scams.

If you don’t have the patience to read every privacy notice, it is still worthwhile saying no to all but essential cookies. It’s quicker than it seems. And make sure to deny the company’s permission to contact you or share your data unless you trust them.

Conclusion

Internet safety can seem daunting, but most people don’t think twice about improving their car security, home security, and personal safety. Stay observant, check out the identities of people you haven’t developed relationships with yet, and employ a few other good internet habits to keep you, your friends, and your family safe online.

Additional:

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What’s the Difference Between a Public Cloud and a Private Cloud?

Data storage is an integral part of most businesses, especially since, nowadays, most companies have an online presence to maintain. That online presence often necessitates the storage, access, and protection of data. If you're considering global cloud services, we'll help you understand the difference between a public and private cloud to discern which is better for your needs. What Are Cloud Services? Before diving into the distinction between private and public cloud services, it's essential to understand what it means for data to be stored 'in the cloud' in the first place. Simply put, data in the cloud is stored on the internet, hosted on a server rather than on your computer's hard drive, and remotely accessible to authorized users. As you might imagine, storing data online is an attractive prospect to businesses that either have vast swathes of data to protect or have services that need online functionality to run correctly. Public and private cloud services can allow companies to access crucial applications for their business and the personal data stored on internet servers. What Is a Private Cloud? A private cloud, sometimes called a data center, allows a company complete autonomy over its infrastructure. At the risk of sounding obvious, these clouds are private because they are built and maintained for a single organization. Sometimes, this infrastructure technology can be proprietary, although it's common for businesses to hire a third-party IT company to build their private cloud infrastructure. Typically, businesses hosting private servers have the infrastructure stored on the premises or somewhere close by so that they can integrate them with the applications or data storage software the company uses.Some of the significant advantages of private servers include the following: Immediate access to the hardware Autonomy and privacy of data Control of infrastructure Companies that choose private clouds usually need to invest heavily upfront; data centers are costly, and getting all of the infrastructure in place is often a significant financial investment. Of course, private clouds are well worth the investment for many business owners who value their privacy and autonomy. These servers do not have to share resources with other users. It's important to avoid the conflation of 'resources' with 'data.' Public servers do not allow multiple organizations to access each other's data. 'Resources' in this context refers to the computational aspects of the public cloud and its services. Private cloud owners shoulder the responsibility of both physical and cybersecurity, as well as the upkeep and eventual upgrade of the firmware and software. Those responsibilities may include: Infrastructure management Hardware maintenance Scaling Physical and cybersecurity Compliance Businesses may choose to shoulder these burdens when their data is too sensitive to entrust to a public cloud, exceeding their risk tolerance. Companies with government or high-security contracts may be bound by regulatory compliance, demanding the need for total ownership and control of the private cloud infrastructure. In these circumstances, it may be impossible for a company to marry the internal resources for security with the security standard of a public cloud that is out of their control. Specific proprietary applications or those that contain sensitive data, for example, are often best housed on private clouds. Of course, the level of security depends on the robustness of the security measures, which are the organization's main prerogative. What Is a Public Cloud? The key difference between a private and public cloud is one of utility. Public clouds appeal to many businesses because they operate based on usage. In other words, the more cloud service you use, the higher the cost of the services. The benefits of a utility-oriented system are twofold. First, a public cloud offers utility by use, allowing businesses to use the service as they need and only pay when using it. Second, a company can scale its usage with growth, relying on a more prominent 'portion' of the public cloud service rather than needing to upgrade infrastructure. To simplify, here are some of the key benefits of public clouds: Alleviates responsibility of infrastructure management Makes use of IT resources for problem-solving Scales cost based on usage Lower cost of use Because the infrastructure of a public cloud is for housing multiple tenants, businesses will generally pay a lot less for subscribing to a public cloud service than they would for the construction, maintenance, and upgrading of a private cloud. As much as we've talked about security regarding private clouds, public clouds, too, boast a wide range of security features. After all, it's in the best interest of the third party running the public cloud service to tout themselves as being reliable and trustworthy. To that effect, public clouds are often extremely reliable, with many safeguards against failure, loss of data, and malware. Public clouds do, however, come with a minor level of risk when it comes to data leakage, which is why businesses that handle sensitive data or have proprietary technology to protect may opt for a private server instead. Which Cloud Service Is Better? There's no right or wrong answer when choosing the best cloud service for your business, but it's fair to acknowledge that both private and public clouds tend to attract different types of business. Public clouds, for example, are ideal for businesses that are starting to scale up or have uncertain computational or storage needs. In this case, having a third-party cloud service provider manage the firmware with the option for unlimited scalability is highly attractive. On the other hand, businesses that handle sensitive information or have a very low-risk tolerance may choose to invest in a private cloud. Generally, these companies are more established and have a better idea of the computational resources their business needs. The Bottom Line There are several important distinctions between a public cloud and a private cloud. Public clouds offer scalability and flexibility, while private cloud services provide control and security. Both are valuable for businesses and are worth careful consideration as you take your next steps toward business growth. Additional: What Is Zero Trust In Cybersecurity Context? Top 6 Cybersecurity Trends Everyone should Know WHY ARE MORE THAN HALF OF SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CLAIMS DENIED?

How To Prevent A Ransomware Attack

Ransomware attacks are on the rise. Because there's currently no way to recover data once it has been encrypted by ransomware, it's important to do everything in your power to prevent it from happening to you in the first place. Here are steps and cyber security training you can take right now to help protect yourself against this cyber threat and all of its potentially devastating consequences. Top 8 Ways To Prevent A Ransomware Attack 1. Maintain Backups It's important to maintain at least two copies of your data: one that remains in your possession and another which is backed up to offsite storage every night. Since you can't access the backup version if you have been infected by ransomware, it's important that you keep a second copy in a secure offline location. That way, even if the malware does encrypt your files, the ability to restore them will still exist. 2. Encrypt Files You should encrypt all of your files before you send them over to your computer's backup location, and also make sure that you have full, expert-level encryption as well as a strong password in place on the backup drive. Better safe than sorry. 3. Update Your Software As with all software, there are always patches and updates available for your antivirus or anti-malware software that could prevent ransomware from taking hold in the first place. If you're using endpoint protection software, make sure the update has been applied. If you're using a third-party antivirus or anti-malware package, get it to update as well. 4. Develop Plans and Policies Ransomware is a major threat to your business, and it can cause a major loss of revenue if you don't have a plan in place to prevent it. Therefore, it's important that you ensure that you have a backup policy and disaster recovery plan in place so that your company can act quickly in the event of a ransomware attack. Developing software protection policies, training users on backup procedures, and conducting penetration testing to find vulnerabilities and malicious activity are all effective ways of creating an effective prevention strategy. 5. Train the Team You should train your team on how to respond should they encounter ransomware, how to avoid it happening in the first place, and what they can do if they do get compromised. Anti-malware software will help them recognize and protect against ransomware, but only if they know how to use it. The more training they receive, the better they will be at spotting ransomware, and the more likely they'll be able to take action quickly when it occurs. 6. Monitor Files and Network Activities Part of creating an effective backup plan is knowing where your files are located so that you can restore them. That way, if your computer is compromised, you can restore the files from your backup. You should also be monitoring for unauthorized access to both file-hosting and FTP sites. Additionally, it's important to monitor all of the network activity from your computer so that you can determine if someone is trying to gain access to machines that aren't theirs. 7. Implement an IDS An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a network security tool designed to detect and block network intrusions, such as attempts to gain unauthorized access. Since ransomware will attempt to disguise itself in order to get past an IDS and infect your computer, it's important that you implement one for your entire network. The IDS should be able to detect anything that looks out of the ordinary and will immediately notify you so that you can take action. 8. Implement an Antivirus Policy The best way to protect your computer is with antivirus software, which automatically scans all of the files stored on your machine and makes sure that they are virus-free before you load them onto a machine. When your computer is infected, the antivirus program automatically starts working to detect and remove the malware. The best antivirus programs also have the ability to detect zero-day threats, which are new viruses that haven't even been discovered yet. Ransomware is a major threat to your business, so it's important that you take the above steps and cyber security training immediately to help protect yourself against this cyber threat and all of its potentially devastating consequences. It's also important that you remember these steps when figuring out how best to protect your computer against ransomware, as well as those in your network. Additional: What Is Zero Trust In Cybersecurity Context? Top 6 Cybersecurity Trends Everyone should Know Top 7 Home Security Mistakes That Homeowners Need To Avoid Making WHY ARE MORE THAN HALF OF SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CLAIMS DENIED?

Your IP Has Been Temporarily Blocked – How To Unblock It?

Although it doesn't happen often, the "your IP has been temporarily blocked" warning will keep you from visiting a website. The error could show if you've attempted to log in too frequently or if you've broken the site's terms of service by uploading prohibited information, for example. Therefore, to learn how to prevent this issue from happening again, read this guide post till the end. Here, you will learn ten different ways to fix this issue. How To Fix The “Your IP Has Been Temporarily Blocked” Issue? To prevent the “your IP has been temporarily blocked” error from happening again, here are the steps you can take: 1. Just Wait A website frequently temporarily blocks IP addresses. For instance, if you tried to log in too many times using invalid credentials, you may be barred or banned for 24 hours before being allowed to try again. You can either wait a day or see the website's terms of service for details now only. 2. Use VPN Websites may restrict your IP address as a result of a country ban, as was already indicated. Use a VPN to conceal your IP address in order to get around such a limitation. You will be able to access the website since it will seem as though you are visiting from somewhere else. Free VPNs are available, however commercial services are more likely to ensure that your IP address is hidden. You will be able to view the website that has blocked your access after you sign up for a VPN. Check out our list of the top 10 VPN service providers if you're unclear about how to choose a VPN service. 3. Properly Configure Your Network And Mail Servers Incorrectly placed letters or digits might potentially be the reason your IP address is blocked. Your network and mail server need to be configured correctly because of this. Contact the blacklist to get your name taken off of it. 4. Connect To A Different Wi-Fi Network You should also think about joining a fresh Wi-Fi network. A new IP address is generated while joining a Wi-Fi network. This may be a short workaround to enable you to view the website to which access has been limited. 5. Check If They Blacklisted Your IP Image Source: thryv.com Many websites are members of IP address blacklists that are open to the public. These lists are frequently gathered from well-known spammers, and banning the addresses can assist website owners to keep unwanted visitors away and stop spam abuse. However, it's possible that one of these blacklists listed your IP address by mistake. The good news here is that you can check your IP Address on a website called WhatIsMyIPAddress.com. If it shows up on their lists after entering your IP address is automatically detected, the website will notify you. 6. Update Your OS If your computer hasn't received any updates in a while, malware might infect it and restrict your IP address. You may improve your computer's usefulness and security by upgrading it. If you use a Windows computer, here’s what you should know: First, go to Settings. Here, choose Update & Security. Then click on Windows Updates to see whether any updates are available for installation. If you use a Mac computer, then here’s what you should do: First, open System Preferences. Then, select the App Store. Finally, select Show Updates. Wait a day after the upgrade is complete before attempting to access the website that has restricted you. 7. Try Detecting Malware The problem regarding “why your IP has been banned” can stem from various malware that might have entered your system. This error is typically shown when your IP address has been compromised and your system is now transmitting spam, or even launching DoS attacks in the background. Therefore, you should scan your computer using antivirus software. To get the best internet security, I recommend using premium antivirus software that always runs in the background. Here, if you're using Windows, follow the steps explained below: First, click on Start and type "Security". When Windows Security appears in the search results, click on it. After selecting Virus & threat protection, do a Quick scan. 8. Change To A New IP Address If you want to, you can shift to a new IP address by temporarily changing it using your VPN software. Do this if your IP has been banned. To do so on a Windows computer, follow the steps below: First, open the Control Panel by searching for it on the Search bar from the Start menu. Then, click on Network and Internet. Here, click on Network Connections. Now, you will get a list of all the network adapters you have paired with. Select the one you are using and want to change its IP. To do so on an Apple computer, follow the steps below: Navigate to System Preferences. Here, open Network. Now, click on Advanced Button. Then, click on the TCP/ICP menu. Here, you need to add a new TCP/IP configuration. To do so, click on the + sign here. Then, select Manual and enter the new IP address. 9. Use Proxy Servers That Are Free If you don't want to spend money on a VPN, you can use a free proxy server. A proxy server is a server that stands between an internet user's request and the website or page they are trying to access. Your IP address is concealed by the proxy, enhancing your privacy and independence. Keep in mind, though, that a lot of websites and services are aware of proxy servers and will ban the IP addresses of public proxy servers. You will be informed that "the owner of this website has blacklisted your IP address" if they catch you. Remember that you should never browse with proxy servers when providing personal information. 10. Blame The Webmaster If you searched the terms of service of the website for information on why your IP address was blocked but couldn't find anything, you may contact the webmaster — particularly if it's a tiny website that interacts with its users frequently. If your IP address is being blocked, the webmaster can tell you why it’s being restricted and how to fix it. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): People using the internet have asked various questions similar to “why is my IP address blocked” and “unblock IP address”. Here are my answers to their queries: Q1. Why Did Instagram Block My IP Address? Ans: Instagram might have blocked your IP address because they might have blacklisted your IP address. This can happen because you might have posted content that might have violated their terms and conditions. If this is not the case, then you might have a problem with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Q2. How Long Does An IP Ban Last? Ans: On Instagram, an IP ban might last anywhere between 24 hours to 48 hours. This depends on the severity of your actions. If it's pretty severe, then Instagram might block you permanently. Q3. Why Did Cloudflare Block My IP Address? Ans: Sometimes, many of the websites that we visit can contain harmful malicious content in them. If Cloudflare detects this, it can block your IP address from accessing that website. Unblock Your IP Now! There are various reasons why you might see the “your IP has been temporarily blocked” error. It can be because your IP has been blocked by the website, or there are various problems with your ISP. To fix this issue, you can either wait for some time or use VPN software to change your IP. In addition, you can also use free proxy servers, or contact the webmaster if you wish to. If you have any similar questions regarding this that you would like an answer to, you can reach out to me by commenting down below! Read Also: 5 Tips to Improve Your Internet Privacy Will The Internet Become A Commodity? Top 7 Torrent Applications with VPN Support

Internet Safety: How To Spot And Avoid Scams