Rising scammer tricks and increase in victims have become a concerning issue in Malaysia. If you think only the elderly or people who aren’t a Pro in modern gadgets are the ones who most likely to be scam victims, then you may be wrong. Nowadays even the most vigilant people fall for scams. But to avoid it, is really easy with some useful tips. Here are some tips that can really help you when there’s a scammer trouble.
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1. Don’t give out personal information
Scammers often reach out to you by pretending as a government authority or a person from the bank, police or even as one of your family members. Basically, someone you trust.
Do not give out your personal information or data such as your bank account number, IC number, passport details or any kind of information that is confidential. Be it a phone call, a text message, social media or email. These imposters will really make you to believe them or even threaten you by pretending to be the police. Do not fall for it.
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2. Ask questions
Scammers think they are too smart to deceive people. They indeed get advantage when you are someone who doesn’t ask questions. Be sceptical about who you are talking to on the phone. Ask which company they are representing. Then look up in the internet.
If you have your doubts, call the bank or any authorities directly before responding to them on call or via text message. Check with BNM and the SC if you need to verify information on an individual or organization. Be it a food to home property, we often do our researches before proceeding. In this case, it is important to do our researches too before making any decisions especially when huge sum of money and personal data involved.
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3. Beware of the internet
Remind yourself to be extra careful of advertisements on social media or online. Use a virtual private network aka VPN to protect your browser sessions from hackers and the owners of the public network.
Refrain from accessing any personal information or data such as bank accounts, primary email accounts or shopping accounts on a public network. Always update your software and apps to protect your device from getting hacked and reduce the chances of identity theft, loss of information etc. Always change your passwords that won’t be easily guessed.
We should always be vigilant to scams. Remember, always ask for certifications to prove authenticity. We, human are gifted to have gut feelings. When your gut feeling tells you that something is suspicious, do not entertain the scammers and protect your data. Also, there are always police authorities to help us when in need. Lodge a police report immediately if you think you have been scammed.
Stay safe everyone!
