Xiao Li recently encountered an annoyance.
A few days ago, he received a strange phone call, the other party not only knew his name, but also accurately stated his mobile phone number and home address, and then claimed that he was involved in a major economic case and needed to cooperate with the investigation.
Fortunately, Xiao Li usually knows a little about fraud prevention, and he immediately realized that this might be a scam, so he hung up the phone decisively and reported the case to the local public security organ.
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Afterwards, Xiao Li couldn't help but be puzzled: how did these scammers get his personal information?
In the digital age, the leakage of personal information has become a problem that cannot be ignored. Scammers use a variety of methods to obtain our personal information and carry out precise scams.
Today, we're going to take a look at how scammers use various channels to obtain sensitive information such as our names, mobile phone numbers, and home addresses.
1. All kinds of documents
In our daily life, we will come into contact with a variety of documents, such as courier bills, shopping receipts, bank receipts, etc. These documents often have our name, address and contact number printed on them.
If not handled properly, this information can easily be accessed by those who care about it. When handling these documents, we should pay attention to protecting personal privacy, and it is best to smear or shred sensitive information before discarding it.
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2. Old phones
Old phones often store a lot of personal information, including contacts, text messages, photos, etc. Many people simply delete data or factory reset when dealing with their old phones, but this is not enough to completely erase the information from their phones.
With some professional data recovery software, it is still possible for crooks to recover these deleted data. When dealing with old mobile phones, we should use professional data erasing tools to ensure the security of personal information.
3. Questionnaires
The Internet is flooded with all kinds of surveys, and some even use small gifts as bait to entice people to fill them out. These questionnaires often ask for personal information such as name and contact information.
Once this information is obtained by criminals, it can be used for fraudulent activities. We should be cautious when filling out the questionnaire and try not to provide too much personal information.
4. Public WiFi
Public WiFi is one of the important ways for scammers to obtain personal information. Many public places offer free WiFi, but there are some malicious hotspots that steal information from devices connected to the hotspot.
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When using public WiFi, we should be vigilant and try to avoid sensitive operations on these networks, such as online banking transactions, logging in to important accounts, etc.
5. A copy of ID card
A copy of the ID card is a kind of identification that we often need to provide in our daily life. However, if not kept properly, these copies can easily fall into the wrong hands and be used for illegal activities.
When using a copy of an ID card, we should indicate the purpose and try to add a watermark to the copy to prevent abuse.
6. Social Media
Social media is another important channel for scammers to obtain personal information. Many people openly share sensitive information such as their photos, addresses, contact details, etc., on social media, which is likely to be exploited by scammers.
When using social media, we should pay attention to protecting the privacy of individuals and be cautious about posting personal information.
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7. Mobile Apps
Some malicious mobile phone software will steal the user's information and send it to a designated server. These software may trick users into downloading and installing by disguising themselves as legitimate applications.
Once installed, these software collect the user's personal information in the background, such as contacts, text messages, location, etc.
When downloading and installing mobile apps, we should choose trustworthy sources and carefully read the software permission requirements to avoid installing malware.
How to prevent personal information leakage?
Protect document information: Dispose of all types of documents and smear or shred sensitive information before discarding it.
Dispose of old devices safely: When disposing of electronic devices such as old mobile phones, use professional data erasing tools to ensure that personal information is completely erased.
Fill out surveys with caution: When filling out online surveys, avoid providing too detailed personal information.
Pay attention to public WiFi security: Avoid sensitive operations on public WiFi and try to use your own data or trusted private networks.
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Apostille information of the copy of the ID card: When using the copy of the ID card, indicate the purpose and add a watermark to prevent abuse.
Social media privacy settings: Be cautious about posting personal information on social media and use privacy settings to control where your information is visible.
Secure mobile app downloads: Choose a trusted software source and read the software permission requirements carefully to avoid installing malware.
In this information age, the importance of protecting personal information cannot be overstated. By understanding how scammers get their hands on personal information and taking precautions, we can better protect our privacy and security.
Remember, prevention is always better than cure, and treading cautiously is the key to avoiding becoming the next target of a scammer.