With the development of technology, fraudsters have developed newer and smarter ways to steal money from people by tricking them into letting go of their cash. More than just that, they also have many ways to hack bank accounts. We will highlight some of these ways and tell how to avoid getting hacked.
READ ALSO: Make Money With Affiliate Marketing In Nigeria: All You Need To Know
Ways Fraudsters Now Hack Bank Accounts
1 – Through Using Public WiFi
Scammers now use public WiFi networks to steal hard-earned monies from unsuspecting people.
Hackers can now set up fake WiFi networks which appear like official ones in public places like libraries. When people who go there connect to the networks, their information get stolen. This is because a ‘malware’ is installed on their laptops and phones and this is very capable of logging keystrokes that will capture their passwords and other sensitive information.
With this information, they can proceed to hack your account and transfer funds.
– How To Avoid This
Be careful with the kind of public WiFi network you join. When you go to a public place that has a free WiFi, ensure that you confirm with the staff to see if it is really their official network.
Also, try to disable your WiFi when you’re not using it because if you don’t, your device may automatically join rogue networks with which scammers can get at you.
2 – By Using Dodgy In-App Permissions
Hackers now go to the extent of creating phone apps that can access people’s private information. When users download these apps, they get their information stolen and used against them.
Some apps come with certain permissions which, if you allow, can find out many things about you. If a hacker gets you to use this kind of apps and he sees your information, you’re finished.
– How To Avoid This
When you go online to download apps for use on your phone, always make sure that you have checked the permissions on those apps before installing them. This is to help you make sure that they are not unnecessarily gaining access to sensitive information.
If you are downloading, for instance, a gaming app, make sure that it does not have permission to access your contacts and location. There is no need for that.
3 – Through Dating Sites
Dating sites is another avenue they take to hack bank accounts. Scammers now pose as genuine love-seekers on dating sites to scam unsuspecting people of their hard-earned money. Lots of people, especially ladies around the world, have fallen for this scam.
According to a report by Punch Metro, a young man identified as Babatunde Fatai, was nabbed for committing internet frauds in 2015 and his confession lends credence to the use of dating sites to scam people.
After his arrest, Fatai revealed that to hack into bank accounts, he pretends to be a genuine seeker of love affairs and would then go to dating sites to woo women and even men into trusting him with their account details. Once they do this, he will have access into their bank accounts and swindle them by transferring their money to third parties before finally getting them afterward.
– How To Avoid This
If you are seeking love on dating sites, be very careful with the kind of information you divulge. If you happen to meet someone who likes you and whom you like, do not give them just any information they ask for. And you definitely cannot give them your account details. You will regret doing that.
4 – Through Sending You Fake E-mails
This another tricky method scammers have adapted to swindle people out of their money. In his confession, Fatai also revealed that to scam his victims, he usually sends them fake e-mails asking them to change the security details attached to their bank accounts. According to Fatai, after they have done this, he will then proceed to use their ‘old’ security details to access their accounts and transfer the money there to the bank account of his online lovers. This online lover will then find other means to transfer the money back to him.
– How To Avoid This
You have to become very alert to the suspicious e-mails that may be flooding your address. These e-mails can come to you under the guise of being promotions from banks and asking you to click certain links. Beware. Do not click them.
You have to check the e-mail address of the message and compare it to the official address if your bank’s e-mail to see if they correlate. If they do not, just ignore them immediately.
Also, remember to always put a call across to your bank to confirm the authenticity of these e-mails. This is for your own good.
5. Through Text Messages And Phone Calls
Now, this is one thing you have to be very careful about. Scammers now put calls across to unsuspecting people or send them text messages in order to get hold of their secret security information on their bank accounts with which they can go ahead to hack and steal money.
These scammers will often send you text messages telling you that your account has been blocked because of your BVN and that and that you have to call another number to activate your account. These text messages are fake and very dubious. Do not respond to them.
Phone calls are now being used too. Unknown callers may put calls across to you telling you they are from your bank and asking you to disclose your bank details in order to correct an anomaly. Those callers are fake and will definitely leave you in tears.
– How To Avoid Being Scammed
While this is one of the most trivial ways that fraudsters hack bank accounts, people still fall for it. Do not respond to these kinds of text messages and make sure that any number that calls you is the same as the official number of your bank’s customer care.
Ensure that you use your bank’s helpline or just go to the nearest bank branch to confirm. Do not be in a haste to divulge sensitive bank details to ANYONE.
6 – Through Exploiting Weak passwords
Hackers are very smart and they can go long lengths to do anything to their victims including trying to crack their passwords. If you have a weak password, for instance, hackers can go long lengths to crack them and get at you.
This is especially for those using internet banking. If you do not take care to make your passwords really strong, it won’t be long before your funds are stolen.
– How To Avoid This
There is no rocket science involved in this. All you need to do is just try making your passwords very strong. Make your password unique and long with a complex combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
At the end of the day, our mistakes are the major ways that allow these criminals the ease to hack bank accounts.
