The Internet has become an integral part of our life. We shop online, pay bills, communicate and work, but if you surf the web thoughtlessly, you run the risk of getting a virus on your computer, losing important data or money.
To significantly reduce the risks, it is enough to follow simple rules of a safe Internet.
Phishing won't work
By visiting unfamiliar sites, we run the risk of becoming victims of phishing. Phishing is a special type of computer fraud. Scammers create a fake website that looks like a bank or online store website. When you enter a login, password or PIN on such a site, they automatically become known to the attackers. To avoid becoming a victim of phishing:
- check the site where you make the payment (specify the legal address, phone number, etc.);
- do not go to sites using links in pop-up windows or links contained in letters from unknown addressees;
- make sure that on the payment page of the store at the beginning of the address bar of the site name there is an additional letter s: instead of "http" there should be "https". This means that a secure data transfer protocol is used.
Protected mailbox
Attackers can send you letters on behalf of a bank or other well-known organization. The text of the message is composed in such a way as to provoke the recipient into instant rash actions. How to protect yourself?
- Make it a rule to check any information received by calling the official support service of the organization on whose behalf the letter came.
- Do not open attachments if you are not familiar with the sender of the email. By opening such files, you run the risk of invisibly installing a virus or malicious spyware on your computer.
- Do not open lottery winning emails if you have not participated in any lottery.
Download and do not worry
By downloading the necessary program or other materials for free, you run the risk of installing a virus along with the program. How can you avoid this?
- Download programs from the official websites of the developers or from well-known file hosting services.
- On sites where registration is not required, use disposable mailboxes. This way you will avoid spam and advertising traffic.
Safe shopping
In order not to lose money when making purchases in online stores, follow these rules:
- Get a separate card for online shopping, where you will transfer as much money as the purchase requires. This will secure your main account. The best choice is cards like Internet and Virtuon: they have a low maintenance cost.
- Link your card to your PayPal account. This gives you a money-back guarantee if the seller decides to cheat on you.
- Before making a purchase, be sure to read the reviews and check the rating of the marketplace and seller to make sure you are not being fooled.
