Internet Scamming and How to Prevent It

The role of internet in today's developed society becomes increasingly more prevalent everyday. As a result, users are storing a great amount of important private information on the internet. These private information include photos, important work and personal documents, and even banking and credit card information. With how much users trust the internet with their privacy and safety, it is crucial that the internet remains a safe and secure environment for users.

There are many threats in the internet that people often dismiss. One of the most common threats is internet scams. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, over 100,000 reports for internet scamming has been reported within the first nine months of 2018. Within those reports, $89 million was lost through those scams.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission: "Top 10 scams by amount lost"

According to the graphic by ACCC above, the most dangerous scams are investment scams and romance related scams. Both make up nearly $55 million worth of the money lost this year to scams in Australia. It is evident that scammers attempt to take advantage of important values of victims. In this case, money and romance were the primary interests of these scammers. 

What's important for users in the future is to understand these threats and learn to take a preventative approach to them. While not all internet investment or romance opportunities might come with ill intent, internet users must be cautious and smart about making decisions on this regard. Often, these scams can be avoided by a quick search on the credibility of these sites or offers. Furthermore, users should question the validity of these situations and look for obvious red flags.

REFERENCES

https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/about-scamwatch/scam-statistics