How do you make sure you that the site you have chosen to purchase your Christmas gifts or playing casino games is a trustworthy one? What your rituals and habits do you apply before investing your cash and time? Springing Rock Salt in a circular motion around the base of your computer or laptop may help you get rid of negative vibes, but it won’t chase scammers away. Luckily, here we share a few reliable signs which you can check for yourself when doubting your traditional means. So, is this site a scam or not? There lies the answer.

Padlock

The first sign is a very obvious one that you may have or not have noticed until now. The lock, just before the https:// link lying on the address bar of your online shopping page indicates that the website protects your private data such as password and credit card details. If you select the icon, you may even learn the name of the company certifying the web page.

Google Safe Browsing

Opening pages through Google Chrome and Mozilla (does anyone even remember this one?) may keep you away from online threats. Google Safe Browsing is activated by dangerous websites and links. Thus, it is warning you for malicious elements when landing on the webpage or before opening a suspiciously stinking file which you as a human cannot detect at first sniff.

Third-Party Audits

If you open an online casino, you will notice that at the sheer bottom of the webpage are exposed various external authorities such as the Gambling Commission Logo, Certificate Testers of the games and perhaps the name of the anti-virus software protecting the website. However, if you are shopping at Sainsbury’s online, how do you make sure their website is secure without any logos? One way is to verify the terms & conditions section whether there is something mentioned about your data safety and privacy. If the company had missed to include this information that may be a red flag. Moreover, companies are currently legally obliged to reform the way they handle online data according to EU laws.

History

Taking your search further, you can check the history of the company that owns the website at Google or at least find out the company’s reference details, address, current offices and financial data at gov.uk. Can you see a contact phone number, or another mean like email form/live chat of getting in touch with the retailer? Then, give them a call and see if they have knowledge about a specific goods/requirement.

Copycat Websites

The idea of copycat sites is that they offer same online services as some governmental and local institutions for a higher price. The case also could be like buying concert tickets for a hot-event in town tonight. Often, knowing the name of the official re-seller/provider can help a lot when seeking to escape the copycat trap. How to know if you are on the official website? You will usually find out that government sites have gov.co.uk ending domains. Moreover, you will see the logo symbol of the department/agency and the prices will be less costly. If you have been scammed, you can report to the government/local authorities the untrustworthy website and contact them for a refund.

Hoping that this article provides helpful information about how to distinguish fraudulent websites from the dependable ones.

Best Luck in Your Search,

Paudio’s Team XX

Scams come in all shapes and forms. You can be targeted in a number of ways, including by phone, SMS, post, online or in person. Yet there are also ways to protect yourself, by looking out for warning signs and reacting accordingly. If you ever receive a request to provide financial or personal data, then you need to act smart, and assess how trustworthy the request is. There are some basic rules to follow to keep yourself safe. Keep these tips in mind and you can ensure you are doing your best to keep yourself protected.

Phone Fraud

Fraud over the phone is referred to as vishing. You will receive a call from someone claiming to be from your bank, a government department, or any other well known and trusted organisation. The caller may advise you have been a victim of fraud, and you need to transfer money to a new account. Such fraudsters may already have some basic information about you, which can make them seem genuine. However, you need to remember that a bank or other such institution will never ask you to divulge sensitive information, such as your PIN or full banking password.

Never reveal such sensitive details over the phone, even by tapping in the digits. You may find you are being rushed into action, making you feel uncomfortable or pressured. If you spot any of these signs, the best course of action is to hang up the call. You can contact your bank directly using the number printed on your card.

Sham Text Messages

Smishing is when fraudsters contact you by SMS, often pretending to be from your bank. Yet they can also claim to be from other trusted institutions such as the police force or tax office. In a similar way to phone scams, they aim to extract sensitive data from you.

Such text messages may contain a link to a website, where you will be promoted to enter personal or financial information, or to make a banking transaction. In other cases, you may be given a phone number which you are urgently advised to call.

If you receive such an SMS, you should not follow any links sent within the text message. These can link to dodgy websites where fraudsters will be able to collate any information you enter. Likewise, do not call any number given in the message. Take a moment to find the official website or phone number for the company that has messaged you, and contact them directly using the official contact details.

Email Scams

Referred to as phishing, email scams are one of the most common forms of online fraud. Like phone and SMS fraud, the message will supposedly come from a trusted source and aim to extract sensitive data from you. There are a few tell-tale signs to look out for to confirm whether an email is from a genuine source or from a fraudster.

Scam emails will be sent from an unofficial address, that may look similar to the organisation they are imitating, but will differ somewhat. The same is true of links found within the email. These will link to a website which may look official, but the address will be slightly different to the official address, perhaps only by 1 character. It is on these bogus linked websites that you will be promoted to enter private data, which will be used fraudulently.

Scam emails often use generic introductions, such as “Dear Sir/Madam”, rather than your full name. You will also find such emails contain numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Never follow links within such emails, and instead, access the official website of the company within a new browser. If you think you have received a phishing email, or a scam phone call or SMS, you should report it on the official Action Fraud website so that it can be investigated by police’s national fraud department.

Hi, I’m Paudio, and I am about to don my tights and cape and take to the skies to protect my fellow citizens. OK, maybe the superhero reference is a little OTT, but in a nutshell, that is what this blog is all about – helping to protect the nation from bad guys.

A couple of years ago, I opened up my credit card statement to find a whopping bill that made my eyes water. It would seem that I had been on a jaunt to the states where I lavishly splashed out on new TVs, sound systems and other high priced tech and gadgetry.

The sting in the tale was that I had ventured no further than my back garden in Leeds and purchased no more than a few cans of beer on my card, having spent up a few days before payday.

Long story short, it turns out I had been scammed. My card details had been illicitly gained and I became a bona fide victim of fraud. Yet what really perplexed me and downright scared me was that I hadn’t the foggiest how I had been swindled.

The whole experience left me feeling vulnerable and violated and I vowed that I would never be duped again. I made it my mission to educate myself on how to protect myself. Whilst I knew the basics, like don’t write down your passwords and don’t tell anyone them, I was surprised to discover just how many more steps I could take to spot scams and ensure that I would not fall victim to them.

In my opinion, scammers are the scum of the earth. Every single penny that falls into their pocket is a travesty. On my site, I will share tips and advice to help you stay safe. From phone scams to cybercrime, fraudsters are finding ever more sophisticated and complex ways to get their hands on your money. Let’s stick together to beat them at their own game!