23rd November 2020
Types Of Cybercrime
Cybercriminals and hackers using sophisticated malware, over the last few years, have stolen literally hundreds of millions of pounds from online banking accounts and individuals all over the world. It has been said many times before, the days of robbing banks in person are in the past, now all it takes a computer connected to the Internet.
The Internet is a very useful tool at home, in school or for business. But it can also, make someone's life a living hell iif that person falls victim to cybercrime. Most people that use computers and the Internet are aware of cybercrime and hackers are aware of the consequences that may befall them if they become victims of cybercriminals. There are others who may not be clued-up to the dangers they face, using the Internet everyday, who must be educated before it is too late for them.
In order to protect yourself against cybercrimes, first, you must know what type of cybercrimes there are:
- Phishing scams: — Phishing is the attempt to obtain sensitive or personal information from you via your computer over the internet. This is normally done through phishing websites, which are designed to imitate legitimate websites, hoping that the unsuspecting computer user will enter their personal information such as passwords, address, date of birth etc. Using a phishing filter to help avoid phishing scams, by actively scaning websites that you visit to check if they have been identified as a phishing website. Also you should not forget to get Cyber Protection Insurance, should the worst happen and you fall victim to cybercriminals.
- Identity Theft scams: — Cybercriminals who have gained access to your credit card or bank account information use that information to make fraudulent purchases in your name. Identity theft is not a new crime as it has been a major crime for a long time now, well before the advent of the World Wide Web and even the conception of the Internet, but the online world makes it significantly easier for cybercrooks to steal and use your identity. You should be aware of the risks of onlune criminals and keep a close eye on your online banking and activities, be proactive if you notice suspicious activity in your accounts, notify the authorities and/or your bank. Identity theft is very prevalent online; it comes in many forms:
- Spam email.
- Website.
- Online pop-ups.
- Unsolicited surveys.
- Phishing is also a large contributor to identity theft.
- Online Harassment: — Harassment online is usually connected to your online social presence, on platforms such as Facebook or Twitter. The harassment can come in the form of threats sent via email, text message or through a social–media message/post. Normally, it is a simple matter of reporting the threats to the social network you're being harassed on. Harassment is also known as cyberbullying, which is more associated with online bullying of children, which can have dire consequences with the children suffering severe emotional problems and even become suicidal. The handling of online harassment should be immediate, especially if children are involved, any unusal activity should be reported before it gets out of hand, even if you may know the person on the other end.
- Cyberstalking: — Cyberstalking is when a person takes an undue interset in you and your online activities; the stalkers will go to great lengths to try and monitor your online activity. They may try to infect you'r computer with malware that is able to log computer activity. Cyberstalking should be reported to authorities as soon as possible. Cyberstalkers may contact a victim's colleagues, friends and other online contacts in an effort to slander them or extract personal information from them. Also you should not forget to get Cyber Protection Insurance, should the worst happen and you fall victim to cybercriminals.
- Invasion of privacy: — Invasion of privacy is basically someone trying to intrude on your personal life. They can do this by:
- Hacking into your computer.
- Reading your emails.
- Monitoring your online activities.
In any of the above cases, you should always have the proper computer security applications installed and updated on your computer which may include a trustworthy anti-spyware or anti-virus program. Having security software installed and running on your system will ensure that you are protected from known threats that can lead to any of the above situations and help protect you against cybercrimes.
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