How to protect your data from phishing

Published: 11/07/2019 | Last Updated: 06/04/2020

The Internet is one of the easiest ways of scamming people especially in our days when it is used for completing various transactions. One of the most common Internet scams encountered in the UK is phishing which has evolved so much that it started taking new forms. E-mails, pop-up ads on your computer screen and lately phone calls have become the favorite tools of phishing scammers who are looking to collect your personal data.

Luckily, the UK legislation has evolved a lot and provides for new punishments for those committing phishing scams. The number of lawyers specialized in phishing scams has also increased, however, prevention is always better, which is why we will try to offer an insight on how to avoid being a victim of phishing rather than fighting it in a court of law.

Table of Contents

Personal data is the main target of phishing scams

E-mails with suspicious links, pop-ads asking for personal information, bots and robo-calls are the most popular ways of collecting personal information from naive people. Unfortunately, they usually work. This is why thinking twice before entering personal information when asked for or clicking a link is a good idea. This is perhaps the best way of avoiding becoming a victim of an Internet fraud.

Verify the website’s security

This is quite simple to do: always make sure the website’s address starts with https, where the “s” certifies the website is secure. Also, a closed lock should appear in the address bar. These are signs that a website is OK to access. Even so, you should know that no bank or serious company will ask for personal information via e-mail, considering most phishing scams are completed via e-mail.

Anti-phishing tools and regular updates

Most Internet browsers have anti-phishing toolbars which will alert you when something is wrong, however, regular updates will keep the browser working properly and ensure a better protection against phishing scams. So, make sure you keep your computer updated all the time, as it can definitely help you protect sensitive information.

Threats and deadlines are a sign of phishing

One of the most popular phishing scams is sending threating e-mails in which account owners are required to change their passwords within an established period of time in order to prevent their accounts from being deleted. These are usual signs of online frauds, so beware when asked to change the password not only to your e-mail, but also to social media accounts.

Phishing or online scams take many forms and the best ways of not falling their victim and giving out personal data is prevention. A good antivirus and regular updates are the minimum effort you can do to avoid becoming a victim of these frauds. Completed with attention when asked for personal information, the chances to keep your information protected increase up to 100%.