How to help protect yourself from online fraud

From grocery shopping to booking flights and everything in between, the internet has opened a world of convenience and endless possibilities. But the risk of fraud has also become more prevalent, so it’s important to be well-informed and proactive in helping to protect yourself from it.

This article includes tips, suggestions and general information. We recommend that you always do your own research and consider getting independent tax, financial and legal advice before making any important decision.

Fraud involves manipulating or misleading others to obtain personal information or money. It can occur in various forms both online and offline and target individuals, businesses, and even governments.

To help protect yourself from fraud, it’s a good idea to stay up-to-date with the latest fraud protection strategies and best practices. Learn about some of the ways you can help spot suspicious activity and protect yourself from online fraud below.

How to spot suspicious activity

One of the first steps in helping to prevent online fraud is knowing how to identify a potential scam.

With the right knowledge, it’s possible to spot the warning signs and red flags that often accompany scams. This could mean identifying suspicious emails, phone calls, or offers that seem too good to be true.

Here are some things to consider when trying to spot common scams:

• Take note of unsolicited communications: Scammers often reach out through unsolicited emails, phone calls, text messages, or social media messages. Exercise caution when receiving such messages, especially if they promise financial gain or request personal information.
• Watch out for urgency and pressure tactics: Fraudsters often create a sense of urgency, pressuring individuals to act quickly without giving them time to think or verify their claims. Take a step back and carefully evaluate the situation before making any decisions.
• Never give out personal information if something feels wrong: Legitimate companies will not ask for sensitive information via email or phone calls. Never provide personal or financial data in response to an unsolicited request. Instead, you could log into your account and look for official communication within the account.
• Steer clear of too-good-to-be-true offers: If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers often use attractive deals to lure victims into their traps. Research the offer, the company, or the product independently to determine its legitimacy.

Ways to help protect yourself from online fraud

There are many fraud protection strategies that can help protect your online activity. Consider these tips:

• Do not click suspicious links or download email attachments: Never click links, open email attachments, or download files from unknown sources. Malicious software can be disguised as legitimate files or URLs.
• Verify the sender's identity: Unsure if an email or message from a company or organisation is legitimate? Try verifying their identity independently.
• Check for poor grammar and spelling: Scam emails and messages can originate from anywhere in the world. Pay attention to these errors, as they may indicate a scam.
• Check for secure connections: When entering personal or financial information online, ensure that the website has a secure connection. Look for "https://" in the URL and a padlock icon in the browser's address bar.
• Keep software updated: Regularly updating your operating system, web browser, and antivirus software can help to ensure you have the latest security patches and protection against known vulnerabilities.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Whenever possible, consider enabling 2FA for your online accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification in addition to your username and password.
• Be cautious with public Wi-Fi: Consider avoiding conducting sensitive transactions, such as online banking or shopping, while connected to public Wi-Fi networks. These networks may be insecure, making it easier for potential hackers to intercept data.

Here’s more detail:

Conduct online searches to verify identity

One way to help protect yourself from scams is to research the person or company contacting you. Ways to do this could include looking up their website, reading customer reviews or feedback, or trying to verify their credentials independently.

If you're unsure about who they may be, don’t provide any financial or personal information. Instead, find their official phone number on their website and contact them directly.

Protect personal and financial information

Keep sensitive information — such as bank details, addresses, government IDs, and tax numbers — secure. Here are some best practices:

• Only share personal and financial details when you are certain of the recipient's trustworthiness and the legitimacy of the request.
• Don’t share personal and financial information over insecure channels like email or text messages.
• Don’t store personal and financial information in public folders, digitally or otherwise.

Secure and trusted payment methods

When conducting an online transaction, you can help protect yourself from fraud by opting for secure payment providers and methods, such as reputable money transfer apps or banks. By choosing trusted platforms, users can send money securely.

Learn about PayPal online safety here.