5 Online Scams To Avoid While Downloading From The Internet

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

When the world-wide-web was launched for the first time, we were advised never to put on our personal information on the web. However, with gradual changes in the online directory, the shopping sites, food apps, and cab sharing apps started demanding our personal information.

That means we can’t restrict ourselves anymore from uploading our personal details, which makes us more prone to face online threats. For example, if you are downloading a movie from the pirate bay without using the VPN, your ISP may track your browsing history and penalize you for obtaining illegal content. 

That’s why you must be cautious when you put down your personal info on the internet, as that’s the only way you will be protected from online scams. 

Online Scams To Avoid While Downloading From The Internet

You may have grown much more comfortable using the internet, and so you don’t fear cyber threats anymore. However, that’s not at all advisable.

You should always be cautious because hackers try to create fake websites and derive money from you for their personal benefits.

Let’s learn about the top 5 online scams you must avoid while downloading from the internet.

1: Phishing

Phishing is the most common example of an online scam. Phishers pretend to be someone you know, such as a friend, colleague, or family member and trick you into clicking a malicious link they send you on your social media accounts.

If you take your time reading the message, you will notice inconsistency in it, like poor grammar or misspelled names, and that’s how you spot a phishing message. Every month, thousands of phishing scams take place to be aware of this online scam this year.

2: Fake Antivirus

Has it ever happened to you when you were browsing the internet, and a popup came on your screen showing you a virus threat? Most likely, it is an online scam disguised as fake antivirus software. But, unfortunately, once you click on that link, chances are you open your door for the hacker.

Hackers send you links to download these fake antivirus software because when you click the link, they get a chance to transmit malware or ransomware on your computer. Therefore, only trust the information that your installed antivirus shows, and if you don’t have one, install one right now.

3: Fake Money Making Sites

We all want to be rich in less time, don’t we? But, unfortunately, this impulsive, greedy attitude has led the hackers to a world of fools, and they have created fake websites that lure you into making huge money in no time. 

These sites usually lure you with the chance to make a month’s salary in a few hours. However, if you apply your common sense, it will support you a long way. You can make so much money for doing nothing, so avoid this online scam any way you can before you end up giving them your financial details.

4: Fake Shopping Websites

With the ocean of online shopping websites, hackers have got the chance to lure you into buying branded clothes at a much lesser price. However, these websites are mostly unknown, and you should never buy anything from a site that you have never even heard of.

Just because they are promising you a great deal on your desired brand doesn’t mean you have to fall right into the trap. They want to use form jacking to steal your credit card details and exploit your credit score. That’s why you must try to avoid this online scam.

5: Fake Tech Support

The tech support impersonators contact a user to tell them that their computer is infected with a virus, and if they don’t do something right now, all their information will be deleted. Then, they advise you to download an application and try to send a virus to your system.

These cybercriminals will also ask for money in return for fixing your computer, and you will give them the cash happily. It’s just an illusion that the tech hackers use to take control of your device. Therefore, you should try to avoid this online scam by hook or by crook.

Putting It All Together

Now, you know what the most popular online scams are and how you can get rid of them. The best trick to spot these scams is to use a bit of common sense. If you apply your common sense, you may easily spot these scams without being a victim.

Hence, keep your eyes and ears open, and think more than twice before passing on your personal information to unknown people on the internet.