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Tag: Cyber Scams

How Does Touch ID Scam Work

Smartphones are coming up with new features every day, touch ID scan being one of them. This feature allows you to unlock your phone, approve a purchase or protect access to applications using a fingerprint or face scan instantly. It is highly beneficial as it prevents people from accessing your critical apps & personal information if they happen to lay hands on your unlocked device.

However, off lately cybercriminals have come up with touch ID scams to exploit users and steal away their confidential information.

How Does The Scam Work?

Since touch id scan is a convenient option, people are using it for more than just unlocking the phone. Nowadays, touch ID is being used for authentication on various apps. However, once you press your finger against the home button, there is generally no additional prompt to confirm whether you want to purchase the app or not.

The scam apps often pose as health assistants and invite users to use a touch ID to track calories, heart rate, etc. When you scan your fingerprint, an in-app purchase pop-up appears on the screen. Consequently, the screen is dimmed to make it hard to see the prompt. Once authorized, it usually charges you somewhere between $90 to $120 and the user is victimized by a touch ID scam.

How To Avoid Falling Prey To A Touch ID Scam

  • Double Check If It Looks Suspicious: If any app functions in a way other than normal, then be wary of it and avoid it altogether. The app might ask you to hold down your finger longer than usual, register your fingerprint in different ways, might not support fingerprints that you have saved with android/iOS or ask you to do a fingerprint scan numerous times to authenticate.
  • Check Reviews: Make sure that you read the reviews before downloading a new app. To some extent, this may help you know if the app is legitimate or not. However, if you decide to download it, then stay a little cautious and report it if you find any problem.
  • Disable Fingerprint Or Face Authentication For Purchases: The best way to stay safe is to disable fingerprint as well as face authentication for purchases. Even though you will have to type the password manually, it will give you extra time to consider if you wish to purchase an app or not. This is unlike fingerprint authentication where pressing the home button prompts the purchase.
  • Prefer Trusted Developers: When downloading an app, it is always preferable to buy the one that has been developed by trusted companies. Reputed apps usually have thousands of downloads and their developers have a significant online presence on websites & social media.

For more information, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213-4740.

Cyber Dating Scams

In this era, where everything is just a click away, more and more people are in search of companionship and are trying to find it online. However, this has significantly increased the number of cyber dating scams. They seem more like a bait that victimizes people looking for friendship on the web. Cyber criminals often lure innocent people who not only suffer a heartbreak but also lose thousands of dollars in this process.

How Does The Scam Work

Also known as ‘catfishing’ the fraudsters create fake online profiles to trick people into a relationship.  Generally, the scammers reach out their potential victims through online dating websites, email, dating apps, phone, social media etc. They often fabricate their identity and invest a lot of time to show genuine interest and make things look real so that the victim falls into the trap. Once they have gained your trust they take advantage of your emotions only to exploit you financially.

Warning Signs To Look Out For

  • They claim that they feel strongly for you, just after you have had few conversations with them.
  • They ask for some money or your bank account details.
  • Are not ready to meet you in person and often break promises that they make.

How To Avoid Such Scams

  • Stay Alert – It’s okay to be paranoid and a bit skeptical when you are dating someone online. This will help you avoid a cyber dating scam as you will think practically and not let yourself from being misled.
  • Search Around – Check out the profile as well as images of the person you meet online. Try to run them through a reverse image search engine. If you find that the images are stolen then it’s best to avoid them. Go through their social media profiles, LinkedIn profile and gather as much information available about them online. If there is a difference in information available on various platforms then there are high chances that the person is a scammer.  Also, checkout certain websites such as Romance Scams, Scamalytics etc. that have a huge database containing the list of such scammers along with the email address that they commonly use to con people.
  • Do Not Handover Your Credentials To Anyone – No matter how close you are to the person you have met online, never share your login credentials and passwords with them. Also prefer not to share your photographs and videos, if you have never met them in person and your relationship is at early stages as they can be used by the fraudster to blackmail you in future.

It is important to be aware of such scams at the first place in order to avoid falling into the trap. For more information on various cyber scams and ways to avoid them, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213-4740.

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