With so many messages, emails and other pop-us on our phones and computers it is sometimes
hard to work out what is ‘real’ and what is a scam (something that might cost you money or other
hardship) or just simply spam (just another word for advertising).
You can teach your email system and your messages (SMS) to recognise some unwanted items
and move them immediately into your junk folder, but there will always be others that slip through
the net. Also, it is getting harder and harder to recognise false messages, and there is only one
general rule of thumb: do not click on any links in emails/messages and other communications.
Instead go to the site directly by asking Google and work from there. Links are usually shown in
blue and/or underlined and when you hover your cursor (arrow) over it it might change into a
hand.
There are other ways that can give you a clue that the message is not genuine, like spelling
mistakes, spaces within words and more, but some scammers are getting very good and make
fewer mistakes.
There is a good podcast (which is a bit like a radio program) on this website about this subject
https://beconnected.esafety.gov.au/podcast/what-online-scammers-dont-want-you-to-know
and also some tutorials here:
https://beconnected.esafety.gov.au/topic-library/articles-and-tips/8-ways-to-protect-your-privacy-online
The Beconnected website can help you with a lot of other questions, too and is well worth
exploring.
Not directly linked to this, but just as important in keeping you safe online: always keep your
devices and apps updated. These updates (at least once a month sometimes more frequently) plug
little security holes that have been discovered, sometimes before bad actors can exploit them. But
again, go into your settings to do this if you are at all unsure whether the link or message you are
supposed to click is genuine.
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