Imagine it’s a Monday morning and you’re sitting in traffic, trying to reach your workplace. A new email arrives on your mobile phone, which you quickly skim through because you’re in a hurry. But are we aware that this moment is an ideal opportunity for scammers?

During the Monday morning traffic jams and the jostling on public transport, we are often stressed and inattentive, so urgent-looking messages can easily slip past our attention. The rush, tension, and mobile usage together increase the risk of scams, as people tend to react impulsively without thoroughly thinking through the email’s content… even when there were signs present!

One of the most common forms of online scams is phishing, where scammers send fake emails to extract sensitive information such as passwords and banking details through a masked website. Online dating scams are also becoming increasingly prevalent, where scammers create fake profiles, build emotional connections, and use various persuasion techniques to request money from potential victims. Additionally, fake job offers, social media scams, and investment frauds have become more common. All these scams particularly affect young people, seniors, job seekers, active social media users, and businesses. Young people and teenagers may be more prone to impulsive decisions, while seniors often lack the necessary knowledge to navigate the digital world securely. Understanding and recognizing online scams is therefore crucial for all of us, and it’s important to talk about it.

There are seasonal scams, such as during holiday periods like Christmas or Black Friday, which represent ideal times for scammers as people are generally more inclined to shop and often rush to get last-minute gifts. This increases the likelihood of inattention. But scammers also do not shy away from crisis situations; during the COVID-19 pandemic or natural disasters, they exploit people’s fears and anxieties, offering fake fundraising efforts or promises.

But what are the signs we should always pay attention to, under all circumstances?

• The sender’s email address looks suspicious or does not match familiar addresses.
• The message contains spelling and grammatical errors.
• Instead of clicking on links, the sender requests that we perform some urgent task.
• The questions pertain to personal data that should not be disclosed.
• The offered deal is too good to be true, or it promises unrealistically high discounts.

What else can we do?

More attentive reading: It’s wise to always thoroughly review incoming emails, especially if they suggest urgency. The grammatical formulations can be odd, and it’s essential to think through the details of the information.

Verification of official sources: If an email comes from a bank or service provider, it’s advisable to navigate directly to the official website of the company or bank and check the information there. By logging into our own interface, we can obtain information directly from the bank, which usually alerts its customers. It’s also a good idea to email them!

Two-factor authentication: Wherever possible, it’s advisable to enable two-factor authentication to provide extra protection for accounts. Initially, it may cause some inconvenience, but this way we can protect our sensitive data and private accounts from falling into unauthorized hands.

Awareness of the world of online scams and improving our knowledge in the digital space is fundamental for maintaining our digital security. So, let’s pay attention to the signs, stay vigilant, and learn from past mistakes to prevent future scams.

To be continued,
Ada