How to Keep Yourself Safe from Scams

Photo from Pixabay

In this day and age, we can't deny that scams - whether offline or online - are becoming more and more prevalent.    What's even sadder is that a lot of people don't seem to be aware (or seem to think it only happens to other people) that they don't take precautionary measures.  Here, I'd like to share some additional tips on how to keep yourself safe from scammers.

1) Cover the CVV number  on your credit/debit card.

Photo from Pixabay

I don't know why banks choose to print the CVV number behind the card where anybody can easily see it.  This number is supposed to be known only to the person who owns the card and yet it's out on full display!  At first I was hesitant to do this for fear the card would not work or maybe it was needed for completing transactions offline, but I did it experimentally and found that it was totally fine.  This number is only used for online transactions, and it's best to write it down on a notebook kept safe in your house before covering it.  I used a black marker and topped it up with correction liquid.  I wish banks would treat this number like they do an ATM pin number because that's how important it is, too.  It should not be out in the open.

2) Don't put your picture and your full name on your Viber account.

Unlike most chat apps, Viber doesn't require your permission for others to add you or contact you.  Whoever has your number in their phone book can easily find out who you are and what you look like just by knowing your number.  Whenever you join group chats, other people can easily click on your profile and also see this information.  Recently, Viber rolled out a new feature where we can control if we want users who aren't in our contacts to see our profile pictures.  To stop strangers from seeing your photo, go to Settings<Privacy<Show Your Photo and turn it off.  However, it's still best not to put your picture at all.

3) Don't declare your relatives and family members on Facebook.

Facebook hacking has been on the rise.  Just this week, millions of Facebook users were affected when access codes were stolen by hackers.  Don't help hackers identify who your family members are once they get into your account.  They might get victimized when the hacker pretends to be you and chats with them.  Of course, they can also find that information just by looking at pictures you've posted, but at least it's not that out in the open.

4) Don't put name stickers on your car.

Photo from http://www.cndajin.com

You've seen those stickers on cars everywhere, right?  The ones that have dad's name, mom's name, kids' names, and even the dog's name!  This is really giving out information on people who want to do you harm.  Don't be surprised if someone approaches you and knows you by name.  Criminals can use this information to trick your family members into believing that you know each other and that you sent them to do things for you.

5) Verify unknown phone calls.

Photo from Pixabay

We get this a lot - phone calls from unknown numbers.  It's important to check the person's legitimacy first before giving out personal information.  If it's someone inviting you to apply for a credit card over the phone, it's better not to do it.  You can do that offline and not necessarily have to do it over the phone.  Go to the bank instead and apply for one personally.  If it's someone claiming to be a government official, get the number and Google it; verify if it's really coming from a government office.  If it is, call that number and look for the person who called you to see if they really work there.  Caveat: This would only work if it's not an inside job.

6) Don't give out too much information.

Companies all want our personal information.  They even want to know what our preferences are.  Nowadays, even our location is being tracked by apps.  There must be a limit to how much information we give out.  If it's something trivial like raffle coupons, surveys, or non-governmental transactions, it's best not to let them know your exact birth date.  If you have a second home or an alternative address, use that instead of your main address.  If it's someone whom you won't want calling you, don't put your phone number.  Have a separate email address for bank transactions and non-bank transactions.

As the saying goes, "It's better to be safe than sorry." For my own version, I'd like to put it this way - "It's better to be paranoid than victimized."