If you are concerned about your security when surfing online, then this is a major cause of concern. There are online scams, people who are looking to take advantage of your amateur surfing skills, and not to mention your security when accessing most websites. So, what is cybercrime? This is the use of computer instruments to further a person’s criminal activities. Some people will go to the end of committing fraud online, in terms of spreading rumors, committing financial fraud, hacking computer systems to access classified information and alter data. Here are types of crime on the internet you didn’t know you can report.
Fraudulent Activities Involving Online Securities
Fraud has been in existence for ages. It’s for this reason that we have law enforcement officers on the lookout for any fishy dealings. But then again, you have so many fraudulent activities online. This Overview of SEC Whistleblower Program can help when it comes to reporting any suspicious online exercises that you are not comfortable with. However, before reporting any of such cases, you must have made a prior analysis of your systems to ensure that you’ll not only be a whistleblower who only cries wolf, but have concise and tangible facts as per your findings. There are so many people trading in online securities but are faced with insecurities that prevent them from trading freely. Here are trading risks that you need to be concerned about
- Investing in online trading tools that put you at risk
- Becoming too friendly with online traders
- Choosing the wrong trading payment options
Cyber Stalking
This is a form of crime where the stalker pursues the victim online. The pursuer usually tracks the actions of the victim in search of information that will later be used to make threats. A cyberstalker is mostly a stranger but in some cases, he/she can be someone who knows their victim. Often, women and children will fall victim to people who are predators and sometimes, pedophiles.
The stalker will be out to seek victims who are not well familiar with online etiquette. You can be a victim of cyberstalking if you are not careful with the information you share online. Equipped with such info, the stalker harasses their victims by ways such as posting malicious blogs, threatening emails or sending obscene messages or viruses. To ensure you do not fall victim to cyberstalking, avoid sharing personal information such as your home address, emails, mobile numbers, or any other information that can lead anyone towards you.
Online Phishing
Phishing is a form of crime where the attacker poses as a legitimate organization in an attempt to acquire personal information such as your credit card numbers via email. Often, phishers will send emails that redirect the victims to sites where they are required to fill in their personal information.
Once they acquire this data, and this might also include passwords and login usernames, they might opt to use the information for their malicious gains or sell it. To help you out, you can easily identify them by watching out for unwelcomed links or phishing emails that you’ll not be familiar with.
Hacking
This is a form of online crime where the attacker accesses the computer systems of their victims illegally. A hacker is usually someone with a high understanding of computer programs and computer language.
Most hackers do this to boast of their prowess in a program or simply as a result of greed. Loaded with too much info, hackers will take control of their victim’s systems by performing tasks that the victim would not usually perform. When done to a company or an organization, the hacker may control operations for profit.
Spamming
Similar to mail bombing, this is where multiple messages, often lengthy, are sent to several recipients for advertising. These are messages that can cause your systems to crash. These messages are mostly meaningless and the situation can be worsened by replying to them.
Credit Card Fraud And Identity Theft
Credit card fraud is whereby a person accesses your credit card or debit card information and uses it to perform tasks such as online shopping and other financial transactions. Identity theft on the other hand is where a person poses as you by using stolen personal information. This way, the attacker can open accounts or use your credit card information for their gains.
Cyber-crime comes in many forms and listed above are the most common. Among the best ways to prevent or protect such crimes from happening to you, is by protecting your personal information. Do not share your passwords and again, consider two-step verification systems whenever trading or transacting online.
