The mode of online fraud, or what is often referred to as digital fraud, is endless. There are still many victims who are harmed by way of online fraud, which is becoming increasingly sophisticated day by day.
Moreover, with the recent increase in people's online activities, online fraud has become increasingly rampant. The reason is that almost every sector in society today requires online activities. Starting from working, buying daily needs, teaching and learning processes to investing are done online.
With the increasingly widespread mode of online fraud, it's a good idea to be vigilant about the security of your data and digital accounts. Apart from that, you also need to know and understand some of the most common modes of online fraud.
Online Fraud Modes or Digital Crimes That Must Beware!
Here are some of the digital criminals most frequently used online fraud modes!
1. Phishing
Phishing is a fraudulent online practice carried out by tricking the victim through a link or email to get the victim's personal information. With its sophistication, phishing crimes often occur because the email or link presented looks very similar to the original link or email.
The identity stolen from this online fraud mode includes personal identity, password, PIN code, OTP, or one-time password, which is the primary security in the victim's financial account.
No wonder many victims have lost money from these phishing crimes. This online fraud mode of crime targets financial accounts belonging to victims, such as digital wallets (E-Wallets), credit cards, pay-later accounts to the internet, and mobile banking of victims
2. Ransomware
Ransomware is one of the most dangerous modes of online fraud today. In general, Ransomware is a type of malware or destructive software that works to process the victim's data into code that the device cannot read.
So that victims who experience this online crime mode can no longer access devices that contain a lot of critical personal data related to the victim's financial accounts.
A description code is needed to restore data on a previously infected device, offered directly or indirectly by evil hackers to get ransom money.
3. Skimming
Skimming is a banking crime in stealing debit or credit card data to withdraw funds from your account. Perpetrators enter user information using a recording device installed on an ATM or an EDC swipe machine. The perpetrator will finally transfer your banking data to the blank ATM card to drain the contents of your account balance.
For this reason, for safer transactions, it is recommended that you make financial transactions cardless or without using a card. Another tip to avoid online skimming fraud mode is to separate the main account from the account often used for transactions.
4. Money Mules
A money mule is an online fraud mode that is carried out by first transferring some money to the victim. With this curiosity and temptation, it is not uncommon for victims to fall into traps set by money mule perpetrators themselves.
Even though the amount of money transferred in the money mule practice itself is less in amount or nominal. However, with the encouragement of curiosity, it is not uncommon for victims to follow the workings of this online fraud mode.
Later, the money mule criminal himself will ask the victim to transfer the money back to the other party with the promise of a commission that is larger than the amount of the previous transfer. However, without realizing it, the other party who will receive the transfer from the victim is the party the perpetrator previously arranged.
5. Spoofing
Spoofing is a mode of online fraud that should not be underestimated. This is because the practice of Spoofing crimes has succeeded in taking many victims to date. The workings of the Spoofing online fraud mode are tricking the victim and claiming to be a person or organization you already know.
After gaining the trust of the conversation, the perpetrators will easily take further action to make it easier for them to quickly take all the data and information related to your financial accounts.
6. Sniffing
Sniffing is a crime that must beware of for those who are often connected to public internet networks. This is because this mode of online crime often targets victims who unknowingly link their smartphones to Wi-Fi or public networks.
Sniffing is an online crime mode that involves tapping the victim's internet network to collect confidential and sensitive personal information, such as financial accounts. With its tools, perpetrators can quickly transfer data from victims connected to the network that the perpetrator uses as a trap.
7. Social Engineering
I In practice, social engineering is a mode of online crime carried out using social engineering or manipulating the perpetrator's social status to gain the victim's trust if the perpetrator is known or trusted.
After gaining the victim's trust by attacking them psychologically, the perpetrator will usually take advantage of this momentum to dig deeper into access to personal data and information related to finance or privacy.
Many victims are unaware they have become one of the parties harmed by this online crime practice. Because it is different from spoofing, Social Engineering is more subtle so that victims believe that the people who contact them are known to be close and trustworthy.
In addition, there are several other modes, such as taking used cellphone SIMs, stealing selfies and ID cards, and stealing data in email. Bank MAS has tips to reduce the risk of being trapped in fraud mode; here's how:
Protect all personal data, and never provide OTP codes, passwords, KTP photos, selfies, or account login numbers to parties whose legitimacy is unclear.
If your financial and banking accounts are connected to many gadgets, always use private internet, and try not to use Wi-Fi.
Make sure you activate the verification method so that no one can log into your account but you.
Stay alert if there is an incoming message claiming to be Bank MAS. This is Bank MAS's official email and WhatsApp number (not customer service):
Email: office center@bankmas.co.id
WhatsApp: +6812 9018 1190
Come on, be more sensitive and careful about various modes of digital fraud. Hopefully, you don't experience unwanted things, ok!