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By Abraham Adegoke
“My WhatsApp account has been hacked. Please disregard any communication from that number for now. Thanks.”
If you spend any time on social media spaces, you would have come across the message above or any of its hundred variations in recent times. It’s a chilling reminder of how easily we can all become victims, a stark testament to the vulnerability we all share. Like the voice of a town crier, it screams that yet another unfortunate fellow has fallen prey to these increasingly popular online fraudsters. It’s a stark warning to all and sundry not to increase the number of the perpetrator’s casualties unwittingly.
There is no denying the alarming growth in the activities of these online scammers. The frequency of such messages popping up on our feeds across online platforms in recent times is a clear testament. From students to workers, business owners, the young and the old, no one has been left out of the radar of these unscrupulous fellows who do not mind taking advantage of anyone in whatever state.
This is a serious issue that demands our immediate attention.
With technology taking over more and more aspects of our lives, fraudsters have more avenues than ever to try to perpetrate their crimes, wreaking havoc in the lives of unsuspecting members of the public. They use email, text messages or phone calls to trick their victims into sharing, knowingly or unknowingly, personal information that allows them access to their victim’s bank or social media accounts. Some pose as vendors, selling non-existent products, only to disappear after an unsuspecting buyer has made a payment. It is common for some to go begging for alms using other people’s social media accounts. There have also been outright fraudulent schemes posed as investment opportunities that have ripped off many people.
Despite efforts by government and law enforcement agents, incidences of online fraud have steadily been on the rise. These fraudsters’ course has been helped significantly by poor economic conditions that predispose many to seek out whatever avenues promise immediate and, sometimes, mouthwatering financial rewards.
As we continue to grapple with this menace, the question of how members of the public can protect themselves remains viable. Should we do away with technology altogether, as some are doing to stay safe? Not necessarily. According to a US Federal Trade Commission Report, “your best defense against unwanted calls is call blocking and call labeling.”
As the FTC recommends, a caller ID application like Truecaller can help you defend yourself. With the application, you can prevent scam calls and illegal robocalls from reaching you. Should you choose to let the calls through, the labeling function enables you to see words like “spam” or “scammer” on your phone screen when the calls get in. Then, you decide to answer or ignore the call. Much more than that, you can use the app to block spam messages and send, receive, and organize your messages. These tools are readily available to empower you in fighting online scams.
While such a tool will go a long way in keeping you safe, it is also imperative that you are always on the lookout for trends in online scamming practices. A few minutes of reading now and then could ultimately ensure you are not the next person sending that warning message to your contacts.
