How to Spot and Avoid Phishing Scams on Social Media: How to shield your data from online fraud

Phishing is a scamming method used in data theft. Spammers use social media accounts to send messages to the victims they might think are legitimate sender and the purpose of the message is to trick users into clicking on links. Once the link is clicked, the scammers can steal personal details, username/password, or even access the victims’ bank details. In the case of a phishing link, the victims are tricked into giving out personal details or data that the attacker will use in identity theft or other related fraud activities.

Some examples of social media phishing scams

• Unsolicited messages: If you ever find yourself receiving casual, completely unknown people’s one-on-one messages on any social platform, then be careful.
• Generic content: Phishing messages may seem to originate from an authorized user but are often imprecise, usually employing a ‘Dear user’ word format.
• Incorrect spelling and grammar: It is common for the messages received by the recipients to contain certain grammatical mistakes such as spelling mistakes.
• Mismatched URLs: Sometimes the links opened in a phishing message contain a small difference or additional signs compared to the correct site.

 

 

 How to avoid this:

• Verify the sender’s identity: The scam is for you to click the links without any delay and without verifying the authenticity of the sender.
• Hover over links: When mouse over links one should look at the URL of the link that will open to ensure it is the right one.
• Enable two-factor authentication: In addition, you should also make sure your accounts are protected by using the two-factor authentication wherever this feature is available.
• Use security software: Security software or known antivirus can help fight phishing attempts.