Page 59 - Cyber Safety C-6

The first step is to PAUSE AND THINK:

1. Did you enter a contest? If not, how could you win a prize for something you didn’t even enter?
2. Why would the provider need your credit card details? If it’s a prize, you shouldn’t have to pay

anything, not even delivery charges.

This is a scam. A scam is a dishonest plan to trick people out of their money or information.
Scammers use clever tricks to make their offer sound too good to ignore. They often say it’s a
limited time offer to pressure you into acting quickly without thinking.

Types of Scams

Scammers use different tricks to make you fall for their scams. Here are some common types of
scams:

Phishing

These are fake emails or messages that look
official, asking for your passwords or bank

details. These emails mislead recipients into
opening files that contain malware or
clicking on harmful links that take them to
fake websites. Ultimately, clicking on such

malicious links can result in account breach,
identity theft or financial loss.

Prize Scams
You might get a message saying you've won
a huge prize, like money or a fancy gadget.
The scammer will ask you to send them your

personal details or pay a small fee to claim the
CONGRATS! prize. But, you haven’t really won anything and
CLAIM YOUR the scammer just wants to take your money.
CLAIM YOUR
PRIZE
PRIZE
For example: “Congratulations! You won 10
lakh. Click here to claim.”
Always Pause and Think! Nobody gives free
money like that. This is a trap to steal your

information or can lead to financial loss!

Safe Surfing: Links, Scams and Malware 57