How to protect yourself from the social media cybercrime boom

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How to protect yourself from the social media scams looking to defraud you and steal your money and data?

Hackers are seeking to do more than try to make you download malware onto your computer, as was the more traditional model of cybercrime. Lately, there has been a rise in cybercriminals turning to social media platforms in order to steal people’s data and money.  

Trevor Cooke, the online privacy expert at EarthWeb has told Digital Journal about the four main social media scams trying to catch readers out over the next year. Cooke also provides some advice on how we can avoid these nefarious slices of digital trickery.

The Too Good To Be True Job Offer

Scammers sometimes pose as recruiters, presenting attractive job openings with high salaries, often for remote work opportunities so they have an excuse not to meet you in person.

Cooke explains: “What they are really after is your personal information (e.g. social security number and address) which they can use to commit identity fraud. Alternatively, they may request payment for fictional application fees, background checks, or equipment purchases – all of which you’ll never be able to get back when they ghost you.”

There are a few red flags that can help you spot a recruitment scam. Be on the lookout for:

• Job postings that offer high salaries or other unrealistic benefits.
• Job postings that require you to pay a fee to apply or secure the job.
• Recruiters who ask for personal information or money upfront.
• Recruiters who are evasive or unwilling to answer your questions.
• Job postings that have grammatical or spelling errors.

He adds: “Another trick scammers use is to send you a large check, asking you to deposit it and return some money to them. Of course, the cheque they gave you will bounce, meaning you get nothing while the money you ‘returned’ to them disappears into their pockets.”

Cooke says: “Always research company names on the BBB (Better Business Bureau) website and read reviews on sites like ZipRecruiter. If a company is legitimate, it will have an easily traceable footprint on the web, and it will be registered with the government.”

The Shady Quizzes

Steer clear of intelligence tests and avoid those offering to determine your personality – in fact, you should avoid as many online quizzes as you can.

Cooke states: “This is because the terms you agree to in order to use the website or complete the quiz may include permission to use and sell your data to third parties.”  

Also, Cooke notes: “Beware if a question is too personal or if it sounds like a security question, as these ‘quizzes’ are often phishing scams aiming to get your personal information to gain access to your bank account. Always report suspicious quizzes on social media and quickly leave the page.”

The Crypto Conmen

You may see an advert or receive a direct message from someone who offers you ways to make huge sums by investing or dealing in cryptocurrency.

Cooke observes: “They may claim to be a successful authority and give you some (made-up) claims about how much money they’ve made. You can usually tell if these people are conning you by taking notice of whether they only talk about the potential gains of these investments while ignoring the risks.” 

Cooke follows up with: “Before giving any information or sending money, check the DFI (Department of Financial Institutions) website to ensure the company’s validity.” 

The Perils of Online Dating

A stranger may send you a personal message or friend request out of the blue. They’ll try to spark a romance between you, before asking you to send money (e.g. due to a health issue or financial crisis).

Cooke warns: “These so-called ‘catfishers’ often use the pictures of unsuspecting, completely unrelated people to con you into believing they’re someone else, then try to play on your sympathy to wring as much money out of you as possible. Don’t be fooled; they’ll ghost you as soon as you tell them you’re not interested in sending cash.”

Catfishing refers to the creation of a fictitious online persona, or fake identity (typically on social networking platforms), with the intent of deception.

Concluding, Cooke cautions: “There are Internet security companies who list the latest social media scams on their sites. If you trust no one until you’ve checked them out, you’ll be safer by far.”