I know you and all the other students are pretty confident of the fact that you are the masters of technology. You indeed are very well familiar with almost all the things on the internet. However, that does not mean you are invincible. So, read this article till the end to stay away from internet scams and fraud as a student.
You must already know that you shouldn’t trade your bank account details with some random prince in return for a six-digit cash guarantee. What you may not know is that the scammers have upped their game in recent times. Online and offline fraudsters are using more sophisticated mechanisms that almost seem genuine. Hence, sniffing them out is even tougher now. To help you with this and to make you aware of the latest internet frauds, I have curated this article. Let’s have a look at some of the common methods adopted by fraudsters.
5 Common Traps – Stay Away From Internet Scams And Fraud As A Student
Here is the complete list of common internet scams and frauds.
1. Phishing | Internet Traps
‘Phishing’ is what digital thieves do when they are trying to ‘phish’ your card details online. They come in various forms and can be identified easily with little prior knowledge. Some really smart scammers also build fake sign-in pages of various social media pages to gain your credentials. If you come across a page that seems to be a little odd than the regular ones then do not proceed to login.
Popularly students receive an email, disguised as being sent from a familiar trusted payment source and try to convince you to share your personal details.
Example: An email with an invented back-story that claims your account has been hacked is now popular. It asks you to click on a link to save your account. In reality, all they want to do is create a panic situation to gain your trust and then ensure that you follow every instruction given by them.
How To Avoid – None of the banks asks you to submit your personal details so that’s the first thing you should keep in mind. Another way to spot a cunning trap is by observing the ‘http’ part of the link. Links starting “http://” instead of “https://” are generally frauds. The additional ‘s’ term is an indicator of a secure site.
Bonus Tip: Do report the mail if you identify it as a scam. This way you ensure that another innocent student doesn’t fall into this trap.
2. Smishing | Popular Internet Scams
The name may sound funny but the matter isn’t funny at all. Smishing is quite similar to phishing but it takes place over text. That’s right, I am talking about SMS. Now you can tell that the word ‘smishing’ is a mix of ‘SMS’ and ‘phishing’.
Like phishing emails, even smishing texts will hide under the name of popular banks and companies. They will create urgency and ask you to click on a link that demands sensitive information. Note that none of the banks do so and any such text, no matter how genuine it seems, can be real. Do not respond to such texts. As much as possible, stay away from internet scams and fraud as a student.
3. Fake Websites and Products | Student Internet Scams
The e-commerce industry is growing like never before. On one hand, it is obviously good that more small businesses are creating their own website and reaching out to a huge customer base. But on the other hand, this also creates an opportunity for scammers to lay their own trap.
Also Read: 8 Most Useful Websites For Students In The UK
Not everything that your digital screen shows you are correct. Some websites display really attractive images to tempt you into ordering them. It is only after placing your order you will realise that there was no such genuine website or product and it was just a trick to get some green out of your pocket.
How To Avoid- Websites that make it mandatory for you to pay online and snatch away the option of cash-on-delivery are a big alarm. Have a closer look at the other fine details on the website to check their originality. Also, check the reviews for any new website that you visit and plan on using to get products.
4. Job Advert Scams | Common Internet Scams
More often than not the fraudsters prey on desperate and penniless students looking for a job. They will lure you in by using catchy phrases such as “no experience necessary” or “full-time pay”. Remember that if it looks too good to be true then it isn’t real and stay away from internet scams and fraud as a student.
Read More: Job Application Tips For Students
How To Avoid – Any job agency that asks you to pay some cash upfront may be a fraud. Another good way to check the genuineness of a job ad, and know that it is not one of those internet traps, is to actually visit their office. If you come across a butcher shop instead of an office on Google Street View then you know what is wrong.
5. Competition Scams
You might have heard about these fake competitions that rob people of their hard-earned cash. While these student internet scams are quite common, the number of students being ripped off by this trick isn’t decreasing.
Most common is a fake Facebook competition that shows almost thousands of people competing in a random competition. The domain of the competition is personalised to your likes and interest based on the activities. If you are asked to deposit a colossal amount as registration fees then back off. That’s a red flag right there.
Hoping you now have a good idea of all the popular internet scams and random frauds that you may encounter. Be alert at all times and stay away from internet scams and fraud as a student.
Thank you for reading this blog on Stay Away From Internet Scams And Fraud As A Student – Common Traps. If you enjoyed reading this blog then the following blogs may as well interest you.
