How to avoid online scams - short guide
I'm probably not a real pro but I have a little internet knowledge from a previous job and for passion, so I want to tell you a couple of things about recognizing a link (especially when you get them via email or message) and avoiding a bit more to fall into a fishing trap.
Let's keep in mind that obviously they only want your data (and it's generally something related to your money/any service you have an account on which is connected with your money cards/bank account).
Rule n°1: do not click immediately. Never Ever.
Even if you get a message and it falls in a trusted list (like from an agency that usually sends you notifications through sms)
Rule n°2: Calm down. Is the grammar of that sms or email correct? Or has it mistakes?
If it has mistakes it's obviously translated with Google and therefore not correct. (Same goes for websites, but I'll get back to this later on)
Rule n°3: is an actual problem or a something made up?
E.g. is it an actual access to your private area or a tried one?
If it's only a try that didn't go well, let go immediately.
If someone accessed, pass to the next step.
(If you get emails from delivery services of your area, look at the language used. If they ask you immediately to add your data, it's obviously a scam. And if you have not a delivery planned/or if it's from a service/agency you don't even have an account with... let it go. Scammers randomly send emails/messages to groups of emails/number through various internet services, hoping to arrive to someone that falls into their trap.)
Rule n°4: take a look at the domain
Is the first part of the link the usual trusted domain of their website? Or it is different? Is the "location" (.com, .org, .net, .uk, .us, .fr,...) the correct one?
A trusted shortened link is generally made of a shorten of the name of the service+the location / a part of that domain (generally related to your client area on that site or something like that).
e.g. www.loveyourlovelysoul.com/myarea can transform into loveyour.com/myarea
As said, seen that scammers are interested in your data, they'll use "myarea" or "client" to make you worry and click on it.
If the link you see it's all mixed up, it has an incomplete domain or a different location, close everything and let go: it's an obvious scam.
e.g. myarea/loveyou.us is different even from the shortened one
Remember that domains end with the location bit, and each part of that domain is added after that bit, not viceversa:
e.g. loveyour.com/blabla and not blabla/loveyour.com : these are two entirely different domains, and therefore, websites (and it gets even more clear if the "location" bit is different: loveyour.com and blabla/loveyou.us).
Rule n°5: At least never click from your phone, try to put the domain on your computer's search bar: especially if you have firewalls and antivirus and all the rest, it can help you blocking the page or at least give you a hint about it being a scam (okay, it can work also on recent phones, but I'm an oldie, I rather work on these things from my netbook that btw has no emails or whatsoever connected to it, differently from my phone ofc)
Rule n°6: if by any chance you land on the website
When you land on a website, look at how is buildt. Look at what is written and if you see any grammar mistakes, close the window and go away.
If you cannot see a way to get to a homepage, it's another sign that's the only page of that domain, and therefore it's a scam (especially if they only ask for your data)/not your usual website.
Look at what they ask as data to acces your private area: the usual email + password? Or you should add also other infos like your phone number (so to pass through those "double check" walls you may have and be able to change your password anytime, no matter if you change it too)? Can you see the captcha code after it? (Usually scammers don't add it)
Rule n°7: Change your passwords
If you still click and add your data (or see some random access you didn't make), go and change your password and any other extra info on the original website of your service (or block/delete anything related to it, especially money cards). If you were asked for the phone number and it's the same connected to your email's account for your "double check" security thing, go change that on the emails' settings as well (if not, they still have the power to change your email's account password too -even if i'ts probably not their main goal: they want to access any service related to your bank account, more generally-). To be more sure and safe, you can delete that account on that service and create a new one with a different email and password. Remember it's safer to use different passwords everytime you create an account on a specific service/website. Write them down on a paper for extra memory and safety;)
If you get messages or asks or comments with videos or random stuff/links: never click on them. Take a look at the preview of their blog if anything, but don't mind them. It's generally a scam (and also, beware even of trusted tumblrs, cause some may get hacked sometimes. Pay attention at what you read and contact the real owner if you know them). In general: don't watch, don't look. Don't worry. Delete, block, report. It's all good.
Even if you end up seeing some videos or read some words and might be triggering for you, don't worry. Don't panic. Nobody is after you. They don't even know what do you blog about.
These scammers send the same thing to a bunch of blogs they may find while searching for a specific # or something like that. Just delete/block/report. It won't stop those people to probably create new blogs from which keep annoying people, but at least you'll feel a little more at peace.
Okay so these is a short guide for beginners (I noticed it's something not everyone may know about), if any of you has any other info or suggestion to add, please do that.
@be-kind-to-all-kind it wasn't only about English language, it's a world wide post and sure sometimes English speakers don't know English grammar too well, but you can easily understand when a translator like Google is behind there (and it gets even more clear when they translate from English in other European languages) ;)
