CELL PHONE SCAMS are a constant danger: TIPS to PROTECT YOURSELF

Financial scams are quite common and can cause harm to victims.

With the constant increase in smartphone use, financial scams are becoming increasingly common in our daily lives, whether through messages on major social networks, emails or phone calls. Criminals have taken advantage of the ease of accessing users' data on some apps, such as phone numbers, banking information, documents and more, and are carrying out scams via cell phones.

Therefore, it is important to check the information and always pay attention to the details, to avoid falling for these financial scams, which can cause huge losses. Discover now some tips to protect yourself from this situation.

Most common scams carried out via cell phone

Among the main types of cell phone scams The most common type of data theft in Brazil is data theft, where criminals manage to steal a person's data and access their social networks, such as Instagram, WhatsApp app and Facebook and begins to impersonate her, pretending to be selling an object or asking for a loan, defrauding the victim's friends and family, who believe it is really her.

Another type of scam, also quite common, is when scammers pretend to be a financial institution or bank and offer credit and loans in exchange for a fee, depending on the amount the victim is interested in. In this type of scam, criminals also ask for personal information, such as ID numbers, card numbers and passwords, making it even easier to access the victim's money.

Another common scam is when a criminal pretends to be a family member or friend of the person and sends a message on WhatsApp asking for some type of transfer. They then send a link, which when accessed, steals the person's bank details, giving access to their bank accounts.

In some cases, the scammers already have the victims' bank details and only need the password to make transactions. So, they call the victim, pretending to be from the bank and saying that there was a problem with their account and that they need to confirm the password in order to resolve the issue. When the victim enters the password, the money is withdrawn from the account.

Another scam that has been growing on social media is the sale of products by fake stores. In this scam, a profile is created and photos of products are posted, as if they were for sale. When interested in a product, the victim makes the purchase and makes the payment, but the product never arrives. This type of scam is quite common in Instagram.

Another common scam is the fake deposit scam, which happens when the scammer contacts a victim who is advertising the sale of a product on a website or a profile on a social network. The scammer gets in touch, shows interest in the product, starts a negotiation and simulates a deposit for the victim, with a fake receipt. The victim delivers the product and only later discovers that they have been scammed.

Tips to avoid falling for scams

1. Do not open emails and links that promise prizes, sweepstakes, loans and facilities, as they may be suspicious;
2. When making a sale, confirm the buyer's details and check whether the payment has actually been deposited into your account;
3. Never hand over your cards or give your details and passwords to anyone, as financial institutions do not ask for this type of information over the phone;
4. Be suspicious if you see someone posting items for sale at a very low price;
5. Improve your passwords and make them stronger to prevent others from easily accessing them;
6. Do not keep photos of your cards, documents or passwords on your cell phone, as someone could access them;
7. Only carry out banking transactions near someone you trust, and if you need help, call a properly identified employee of the institution;
8. When thinking about making a transfer to a friend or family member who asked for money via message, call them and confirm that they are really asking for it;
9. Try to research more about websites and online stores to ensure that the store really exists;
10. In case of loss or theft of your credit card, call the institution, report the situation and request cancellation immediately, avoiding purchases you do not recognize.