A flash on the smartphone. A new email in your inbox, an unknown call. Harmless everyday situations? Not necessarily. Thousands of Germans have already paid dearly for their trust. If you want to know how the underworld of cyberspace gets your money and how you can protect yourself from it, you've come to the right place.
Messenger fraud: When your child suddenly sounds strange
Messages via messenger services have become an everyday means of communication. But with this spread, the risk of becoming a target of fraud increases. A classic scenario: You receive a message that appears to come from a loved one, such as your own child. ( HERE ) However, the choice of words or tone doesn't seem to quite fit, as if the child suddenly sounds "foreign".
The method behind it is simple but effective: crooks hack or otherwise gain access to messenger accounts and send messages, for example to steal money. Victims are often worried or insecure and follow instructions without questioning their authenticity.
How can you spot such fake news? Look out for unusual word choices, spelling mistakes or demands that don't fit the sender's character. If in doubt, you should always ask directly via another communication channel and never transfer money hastily or reveal personal information.
AI calls: technology at the service of crooks
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made enormous progress in recent years, which is also noticeable in the area of voice manipulation. Fraudsters today use technology to imitate real people's voices to commit fraud over the phone.
Imagine your phone rings and there is a family member or good friend on the other end. Everything sounds familiar, but suddenly money is asked for or other suspicious demands are made. How can you be sure it's not an AI-generated voice? (HERE)
Warning signs can include: pauses at unusual points in the conversation, an unusual tone of voice or a mechanical-sounding voice. Even though technology is improving, there are still nuances that can indicate a counterfeit.
If you receive such a call, remain calm. Ask for details or anecdotes that only the real caller would know. And as with messenger fraud, the following also applies here: never give out information or money prematurely and, if in doubt, check the identity of the caller via another communication channel.
Protect your digital wallet: More than just numbers and passwords
In this day and age when banking, shopping, and many other transactions are conducted online, our “digital wallet” is often filled with sensitive information. This information is worth its weight in gold to criminals.
Phishing (HERE) is one of the most common fraud methods in the digital space. The fraudsters often pose as trustworthy organizations or companies - be it your bank, an online retailer or a service provider. You will receive an email, call or message asking you to confirm or enter personal information, including but not limited to account information.
How can you spot such scams? Watch out for suspicious email addresses, poor grammar, unsafe website URLs, or an urgency in the message that puts you under pressure. A reputable company will never ask you to share sensitive data over an insecure channel or email.
If you suspect you are a victim of a phishing attack, do not open any attachments or click on any links in the message. Instead, contact the company claiming to be sending the message directly to verify its authenticity.
The tempting prize that never existed: When dreams turn into traps
Who doesn't dream of suddenly winning a huge sum of money or going on an exotic trip? Fraudsters take advantage of this universal desire and lure people with alleged winning notifications. (HERE)
The scam is often similar: you receive a message that you have won a big prize. To receive this, you will be asked to pay a small fee, provide your account details or share personal information.
How can you recognize such fraudulent offers? If a win sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always ask yourself whether you really took part in such a competition. Also, be skeptical if you are asked to pay money to receive a prize.
If you receive such a message, do not respond or provide any personal information. It is advisable to report and delete such messages to protect yourself and others from such scams.
With the knowledge from this article, you can move more safely in the digital world and protect yourself from the tricks and traps of cybercriminals. Because education is the best defense.
To stay up to date and receive valuable tips on protecting your data, we recommend that you sign up for the Mimikama newsletter . Also take a look at our extensive media education offering . Together we can help make the digital world safer. Protect your bank details and stay vigilant!
This might also interest you:
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )

