16 Aug 2024
Almost all of the 331.4 million migrants working in different countries to earn a living come across online scams. More so when they carry out a global money transfer, to send funds back to their family, which is precisely what they go to foreign countries for – to offer financial support back home.
Of these online attacks, whose modus operandi differ from each other, sending you malicious links and downloads is the most common. It is one of the most common online scam types many fall victim to. This blog sheds light on different areas of this scam type and guides you on how to guard yourself against it.
If you take a closer look, you will realize that most of your time is spent using your smartphones. The advent of social and digital media platforms consumes much of your time. On top of it when, technological advancement has also forced you to conduct most of your financial activities through your smartphones, such as:
· Paying your utilities, rent, fees
· Managing finances
· Earning money
· Research and study
All of it means that you have to fill your smartphone with your data and information for it to function. Therefore, smartphones contain your entire digital footprint. These gadgets are the repository of your life – professional and personal. This is where you become vulnerable.
A scammer will send you an email, for example, making an alluring offer and will ask you to click an embedded link. This is a malicious link and when you click it, the scammer hacks your phone and steals all the data.
Imagine you have to add your bank account details, email account, and card details to your phone if you are to use the gadget for an online money transfer. When you do this or are planning to do this, you are likely to get attacked with malicious links and downloads. You should always be careful about this and use the three-pronged strategy to counter such attacks.
You will be able to save and protect yourself from malicious links if you can recognize them. If you have no idea about what a malicious link is or how to recognize one, how will you ensure your safety? Listed below, however, are a few ways to recognize malicious links and downloads.
The first way is to visit certain websites that offer you help in this regard. Before visiting a website whose security and safety you are skeptical about, paste the domain into the search bar. The website will tell you about the safety associated with the link. Some testing websites are Norton Safe Web or the Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal.
Pay optimal attention to the domain of a website you are visiting. You can easily tell if a website is suspicious or not by simply looking at its URL. A misspelled website is surely fake. For example, Facebok.com, Facebook.ick.io, Facebk.com, and so on are all extremely suspicious URLs.
Always remember that HTTP connections are less secure than HTTPS connections. Make sure that the URL of the website that you want to visit starts with HTTPS instead of HTTP. Remember the difference and look out for the appropriate text in the URL.
Google releases its transparency report regularly. This report throws light on the latest trends taking shape in cybersecurity, tracks unsafe websites, and offers you guidance on the best practices to stay safe according to the latest updates at the time.
Every browser that you use, whether for computers or smartphones, has built-in security that offers you protection from malicious link attacks. But you need to make sure that all the applicable settings are turned on.
It is not only about the Malicious links and downloads. It is rather about online scams as a whole. Therefore, you must learn about every type of online scam. Because every online scam focuses on fleecing you financially, learn HERE all about every online scam and how to exercise safety.
The second stage after you have learned about how to recognize malicious links and online attacks is to exercise safety. Listed below are a few tips that you can follow to ensure your safety when you are present online for any purpose.
· Download strong and paid antivirus software and keep scanning your device regularly.
· Keep your anti-virus software updated.
· Increase the security of your browser. You can do this by configuring the settings of your browser.
· Use a strong VPN. A VPN encrypts your data and keeps it safe from online attacks with malicious links.
· Use a strong ad and tracker blocker.
· Use a password manager and save all of your passwords with it.
· Always use tools that monitor the dark web.
· Use different passwords for different platforms and apps.
· Use multi-factor authentication.
· Use a trusted and credible remittance transfer service provider and check its security parameters when you send money back home.
The third and last stage is what you need to do if you mistakenly click a malicious link. After all, you are a human being and are prone to making mistakes. But this should not stand a chance after what you have learned so far. However, here’s what you are supposed to do if you click a malicious link by mistake. Immediately disconnect from the internet, run a thorough antivirus scan, and change your passwords to protect your accounts and personal information.
· As soon as you realize that you have clicked a malicious link, you must immediately disconnect from the internet regardless of any other thing.
· In case you have clicked a malicious link, you must run a full antivirus scan. That is why it is always recommended to keep your antivirus updated; at that time, you will not have time to update it, and if it is not updated, it will be less effective.
· Quarantine and remove any virus that you find as a result of scanning.
· Despite using strong and unique passwords for different platforms, make sure to keep changing your passwords regularly and keep monitoring your every account.
· After all of these steps, if you are still uncomfortable and feel that your data is stolen then you should consider using credit monitoring tools. You can find several such tools in the market.
The fact that you send money online back home to your families leaves you vulnerable to online scams and malicious link attacks. Therefore, the service provider you choose for your remittance transfers is central to your online safety.
It is not only about the safety and security of your online transactions and funds but also about the safety of your data. You share your data with the service provider for online transactions. If this data is breached, you can be in grave trouble. Therefore, make sure to check the safety parameters of your service provider and see if it charges you a low fee and offers you live and market-competitive currency exchange rates to compensate you financially for the fees you pay for the process.
A malicious link attack occurs when an online scammer sends you an email or a message with a link to click and follow. The content of the email will be compelling, forcing you to click the link and follow with no questions asked. When you click such a link, it connects you with the scammer who hacks your device and steals your data and information.
There are several types and kinds of online scams. All of these come with different names and titles. The modus operandi of each scam is also different. But every online scam has a single-point agenda. It is to fleece you financially. Therefore, if you ever have to deal with any online scam type remember that its objective is to fleece you financially.
Malicious links are sent and spread in a variety of ways. These links can be distributed through text messages, social media platforms, emails, and a host of other apps and online platforms that allow you to connect and communicate with people. For example, online gaming apps and platforms. But the most common way is to send malicious links through emails.
A free antivirus can offer you online safety and protection from malicious attacks and other online hacking attacks at the surface level only. You can find several other tools that can offer you optimal protection. But if the idea of an anti-virus sits well with you, you must use paid software that comes with all the app features.
Many types of viruses are embedded in the malicious links. Most commonly these viruses are threatening malware, Trojans, worms, spyware, adware, ransomware, rootkits, and so on. Most of the time and in most cases, these viruses allow access to your device to the hacker or the scammer who has sent you these and then once these open they download other viruses.
Resource(s)
· Global Migrants
