Five Common Tricks of Cyber Scammers

May 12, 2022

Cyber security is increasingly crucial in our technologically advanced world. Scammers use many schemes when attempting to steal your data, but you can outsmart them by understanding their methods.

Five common tricks of cyber scammers:

  • Phishing emails typically incorporate elements of surprise, scare tactics, or fear of imminent danger.
  • Spear phishing is a targeted phishing attack that uses personalization in the email to make it appear legitimate.
  • Spoofing imitates an email address or website to make you think you’re interacting with someone you know and trust.
  • Vishing and Smishing are other forms of phishing that use phone calls or text messages instead of emails.
  • Pretexting creates a story to gain your trust and manipulate you into providing assistance.

These tricks may be difficult to spot, as scammers can be very sneaky. Whenever you receive an email, text message, or phone call that requests immediate action, especially a transfer of funds, take a minute to run through the following questions:

  • Were you expecting it?
  • Is it a known problem that you need to address?
  • Did you receive an email when a phone call or in-person conversation would have been more appropriate?

Managing passwords and using two-factor authentication are just two ways you can outsmart their treachery. If you use the same password everywhere, hackers will use software to automatically search other accounts and attempt to break in with the stolen password, which is called password stuffing. When setting your passwords, make sure they’re long and complex.

Another remedy is to use a password manager. They come as software and applications, so you can use them across your computers and mobile devices. Password managers allow you to place all your accounts in a single, encrypted, and password-protected vault. Once you link your accounts, the software creates new, unique passwords for each one. You’ll only need to remember the single master password.

Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company offers multiple coverage options for cyber liability, as well as a partnership with a global leader in cyber response and remediation services. Read more information and tips on cyber security in this resource.