Sounds suspicious, doesn’t it? If you were Mr. Sharma, you would clearly be suspicious of someone who was only giving you money, and you would never have given him your address. Yet, somehow in the cyberworld, our acumen is blurred, we trust whoever is on the other end of the digital line, and give them the keys to our personal information. We come to our senses only when we realize that we have become the victim of a fraud.

While the Internet has opened up a plethora of opportunities like Pandora’s Box, it has also brought many problems, the biggest of which is the problem. Cyber ​​crimes, Social media, online shopping sites and unknown calls can sometimes be blackholes used by scammers to dupe you. As per the data released by National Crime Records Bureau last year, 50,035 cases were registered under cyber crime in 2020, which is an increase of 11.8%. 2019 (44,735 cases). Compare this to just 3,377 cases in 2012, a nearly 15-fold increase seen over the past decade.

Growth is due to many factors – widespread use of technology, increased access to mobile Internetlack of technical awareness, innovative methods used by fraudsters and difficulties in the investigation and arrest of thugs for cyber crimes. The only way to protect ourselves is to be mindful of every move we make digital world, So, here is a quiz you should take to find out how insecure you are, and the best option to choose from to avoid being duped.

1.
When you receive a link to open in a message or mail, you…

One click on it immediately.
Check the url of the b link.
c prefer to type the link on the browser itself

C is your best option.

It is always best to type the URL yourself to make sure you are using the correct website. In most cases, if it’s a link to a bank or shopping portal that you use frequently, the entire URL will be visible in your web browser. It will also help you to check the correct spelling of the link. Scammers often use a different variation of a link that is extremely close to the real one to fool people. For example, the fake ‘yahoo.co.in’ is not the same as the authentic ‘yahoo.co.in’ because the spelling has an extra ‘o’, something that most people might skip noticing. Another smart way is to check the age of the website using ‘Whois Domain Lookup’ (https://www.whois.com). Simply type in the name of the website and you will get information on who owns the domain name, where they are located, and how long the website has been active. If it was made recently, that’s a big red flag.

2. If you get a call from your bank representative asking for certain details, you can…

Provide whatever information is required.

B Ask for identity proof and share only certain information.

C Say that you will call the helpline of the bank yourself.

C is your best bet, although step B should be followed as well.

If you haven’t filed a complaint or requested assistance with your bank, be wary of any incoming calls, especially those offering new plans, discounts or unsolicited assistance. Don’t let your guard down, even if the unknown caller provides the last four digits of your bank account number or personal information like your date of birth or mother’s name. Remember, this information is often readily available on your bills or through social media.

3.You have saved important passwords and PINs…
A. In the Locker app on your mobile phone.
B In a digital locker.
c On a piece of paper that is in your locker.

All three options are secure, although A and B are better because they allow you to access the information from anywhere.

Digital Locker helps you to save your important documents in an encrypted format. The government itself provides the services of a Digilocker which can be accessed through your Aadhar card. Another easy option is to download a Fi Locker app like FolderLock, FileSafe, FileCrypt or Norton AppLock. These digital vaults can only be accessed through a specific password or PIN code.

If you do a lot of business on your phone, you can also opt for a password manager. Most people create passwords that are easy to remember and reuse for everything, which is a dangerous mistake. A secure option is to create a unique password for each site, such as ’20wty!bm13@h’. Since it’s nearly impossible to remember many such passwords, you should choose a password manager that generates smart passwords for you, syncs them across multiple sites, and protects them with high-end encryption software.

4. If a friend sends you a mail or message asking you for money, you…
A. Call them back in person to find out how much they really want.
B. Transfer funds as soon as possible.
c Reply to mail asking for more information.

always a.

There are a lot of stories about how someone was duped because they received a mail or WhatsApp or Facebook message from a friend asking for financial help. If you’re close enough that someone can ask you for money, you’re definitely close enough that you can pick up the phone and chat, right?

5.Have you opted for dual factor authentication?
A yes.
B no.
c What is that?

If you haven’t done so yet, pick one up ASAP. In simple words, it is the OTP that you get. In India, it exists essentially only for financial transactions. However, you should also use it to secure other important platforms where you can share information like Mail and WhatsApp. This is a double security feature against hackers. Also, never answer calls that ask you for remote access to your computer or phone, even if they mention a reputable brand name. Scammers usually offer to fix a problem remotely or install a free upgrade, which could be a virus that will give them your passwords and personal details. If you suspect a link or file, you can use VirusTotal (www.virustotal.com) to check for malware or other breaches.

6. When someone calls you in a panic and says it’s an emergency, you…
One rush and do whatever you’re told.
B. Calm down, take a deep breath, think and then start working.
C completely refused to comply.

Please select B.

Scammers often try to rush their victim as quickly as possible and pressure them so that they can’t think rationally. It’s a psychological trick where they create a sense of urgency that prompts you to comply immediately or blurt out sensitive information. Don’t feel compelled to make quick decisions. Think carefully and critically. Prepare yourself for a few minutes and talk to someone. This can help you to realize that the situation is not really what it used to be.

7. You Check Your Privacy Options Regularly
A yes, and update them too.
B No, I don’t know what that is.
C It’s too complicated.

A, A and A.

We know long swaths of privacy policies sound intimidating, but you don’t have to read them. Be it YouTube, Facebook or Gmail, every social media platform has a privacy check in its account settings. Visit them to observe the kind of information you are sharing with the world. Make sure your email, date of birth and contact list are visible only to you. Even such a simple step can be another safe wall protecting you.

8. When you’re on vacation, you share…
A photos and travel details openly on social media.
B Share photos and some information in person with a handful of people.
Don’t tell anyone where you are going.

It may sound difficult but B is the better option.

It’s a good idea to let those close to you know about your plans so they can keep an eye on your home to check for any suspicious activity. Avoid going for the ‘A’ because you don’t want strangers stealing your photos or going through your social media feeds to see where you’re living, or your kids’ birth dates, or your spouse’s names All of which can be used to hack into more information about you, leaving you vulnerable to identity theft.

A fraudster can use your photo to generate a new Aadhar card or driving license. Another growing problem is deepfakes, which can be used to morph videos and images, and then be used as a tool for blackmail.

9. You get an SMS that the electricity bill has not been paid, and to make a call if you want a connection…
You call back immediately.
B You use an app like TrueCaller to check the number.
C You ignore the message.

B is good though

C is also safe.

Fraudsters nowadays use what is called ‘social engineering’ to cheat people. In simple words, it means that they use tricks to manipulate people into breaking normal security procedures to gain access to people’s information for financial gain. In this case, they have created a sense of concern yet made you feel like you are in charge as you approach them. The person on the other end of the line will probably be extremely sympathetic and will chat casually with you while solving your problem, secretly taking in all the information they want.

10. You have met someone online and now they are coming to meet you, so you…
A is excited and has given him his address.
B. Have checked about them from many sources, sites or people.
C has agreed to meet him with a friend at a neutral place.

First B, and then C of course to follow.

Did this question seem incoherent or silly? But if you consider that trust fraud and romance scams account for the third biggest loss reported by cyber victims internationally, according to a report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Report 2021, you’ll probably pay a little more attention. While the past few years have inspired us to make more online than offline friends, play detectives and find out as much about them as you can. Avoid disclosing any information about yourself unless you are sure of the facts, and make sure your close family or friends know who that person is. If they call before meeting you about being stuck at the airport/railway station and they need money to evacuate themselves, avoid them altogether.