Cyber Threats – Keep Your Devices Safe

It is no secret that the mobile phones we use today expose us to various cyber threats, making us a prime target for cyber-attacks, malware, and viruses if left unprotected. Many fraudsters, leveraging phishing, spyware, and ransomware, still rely on old-fashioned phone scams, alongside more sophisticated digital tactics, to con innocent individuals.

Though phone scams have persisted since the inception of landlines, the surge in smartphone usage has significantly expanded the attack surface, offering numerous opportunities for fraudsters. These cybercriminals, constantly seeking ways to exploit vulnerabilities for illegal monetary gains, employ a mix of traditional and digital strategies, including social engineering and exploiting software vulnerabilities, to deceive their victims.

Scam callers commonly pose as representatives of government agencies or known tech, retail, travel, or financial companies, supposedly calling to obtain important information from you. Fraudsters might also impersonate charitable organizations. They also impersonate family members which may include even your grandchildren, playing on family bonds to extort money. 

Our phones are a treasure trove of personal and professional information. This makes them a potential target for hackers and cybercriminals that want access to sensitive information. We use our devices to make purchases, log into accounts and banking services, access sensitive documents, and even store photos and videos of our special moments. As such, it’s essential to keep our information safe and secure from cyber threats.

By following the tips outlined below, you can rest easy knowing your personal and professional information is safe and secure.

How to Detect a Phone Scam?

Unsolicited calls from individuals claiming to be from government agencies, public utilities, major tech companies, or charitable organizations, especially following natural disasters, should be recognized as a significant cyber threat. These scenarios are classic examples of phishing attempts, a prevalent cyber threat aiming to exploit personal and financial information. Legitimate entities seldom make such cold calls without prior notification through more secure means, a practice designed to mitigate the risk of cyber threats like identity theft.

When receiving calls pitching products, services, or too-good-to-be-true opportunities, such as free product trials, medical devices, cheap travel packages, and low-risk, high-return investments, it’s crucial to see these as potential cyber threats. These offers often serve as a facade for schemes involving malware distribution, financial fraud, and identity theft, employing cyber threat tactics like caller ID spoofing. Spoofing, a common cyber threat technique, involves falsifying the caller’s number to appear legitimate, thereby increasing the likelihood of tricking recipients into compromising their security.

How to Keep Your Mobile Devices Safe

• Keep Your Device Locked
  One of the most critical steps in keeping your information safe is to secure your device with a passcode or biometric recognition like a fingerprint scanner or facial recognition. Setting up a passcode with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols can help keep your data secure. 

• Set Strong Passwords
  Setting strong and secure passwords on mobile applications makes it harder for hackers to break them. Set different passwords for each app so if one password is compromised, the hacker won’t be able to access other apps.

• Download with caution
  When downloading applications, make sure you use official app stores and check reviews of each app. It is common for cybercriminals to create fake mobile apps mimicking authentic brands to steal confidential user information.

• Keep the Operating System Updated
  Mobile phone operating system (OS) updates are there for a reason – to improve user experience. It is important to frequently update the devices with the latest version of the OS. It helps in protecting both iOS and Android devices from bugs or other holes that make devices vulnerable.

• Avoid Jailbreaking
  People often ‘jailbreak’ or ‘root’ their phone devices to have access to third-party applications. This is done for applications other than the ones available on the official app stores. It seems tempting to access unlimited apps, but it brings a greater risk to phone devices. These apps are not vetted and can easily hack your phone and steal information.

• Install Security Software
  Installing anti-virus or any security software protects the device from malware and detects and deletes other harmful viruses. Especially in the case of financial transactions via phone, security software prevents data breaches and loss of information.

How to Avoid Phone Scams?

• Do not answer unknown callers
  It is recommended not to entertain unknown caller IDs, especially from unknown service providers. If you are interested in the services provided , research the company’s reputation.

• Hang up on robocalls
  If an unknown company has contacted you via robocall – it’s illegal. Do not press any button to speak with an agent or to be removed from the calling list. This may result in more robocalls.

• Get a call-blocking app
  These apps help to block unknown numbers from reaching your phone, even if you switch to a new number.

• Do not disclose personal information
  Do not confirm any information such as account numbers, house address, ownership of any asset, or computer usage.

• Record the call
  Ask basic questions such as who is calling, the address and other such details. You will be surprised to see the number of cold calls hang up on you on inquiry. If the call is disconnected, it may be a scam.

Conclusion 

Many people are unaware of the risks they are exposed to while using mobile phones and other computer devices. You cannot control a cyber attacker, but you can take action to protect your identity and personal information from getting stolen. We hope the tips mentioned in this article were helpful. If you have further queries feel free to contact us. 

Note: 

We have a team of professionals who investigate fraud cases thoroughly and provide detailed analysis with documents necessary to report a scam or fraud to higher authorities. We aim to evaluate each case with full attention and resolve them in a manner that the victim gets closure as soon as possible.