{"id":13019,"date":"2022-07-08T03:41:46","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T03:41:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/highgrove.co.nz\/?p=13019"},"modified":"2023-04-28T23:03:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T23:03:50","slug":"tips-for-a-safe-retirement-how-to-protect-yourself-from-online-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/highgrove.co.nz\/tips-for-a-safe-retirement-how-to-protect-yourself-from-online-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for a Safe Retirement: How to protect yourself from online scams"},"content":{"rendered":"

Technology has the amazing ability to open up our worlds, through ease of communication<\/span> and helpful aids to guide us through each day.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately it also comes with a few risks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But those risks can be minimised if we are aware of what to be on the lookout for. Online<\/span> scams come in all sorts of forms – although most follow a pretty common pattern, with key<\/span> identifying features. And by knowing the telltale signs of how to spot a scam, we can reduce<\/span> our chances of falling victim to one.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What do online scammers want?<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

The primary goal of most scammers is money – your money. Some are also looking to steal<\/span> the identification of individuals as well, so they can pose as a person and commit acts of<\/span> fraud. But at the end of the day, it\u2019s all a means to financial gain.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Different types of online scams<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Knowing the kind of scams out there can help you to be aware of what to look out for. Some<\/span> of the more persistent ones are:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Romance scams <\/b>– Where people build trust over the internet which turn into \u2018relationships\u2019.<\/span> Cold calling scams <\/b>– Someone rings pretending to be a bank provider or computer<\/span> company, and gains access to an individual\u2019s private information.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Email scams <\/b>– This scam comes in the form of an email that looks like it is from a bank or<\/span> some other legitimate organisation, asking the receiver to take an action on a website that<\/span> has been set-up to capture their private information.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Investment scams <\/b>– Where an individual is offered a low-risk opportunity to gain a<\/span> significant return on investment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Work-from-home scams <\/b>– If a job to work from home and receive good pay seems too<\/span> good to be true, it probably is. You\u2019re often asked to receive goods to your address to then<\/span> ship overseas, or transfer money between NZ and offshore bank accounts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, red flags include being contacted out of the blue (whether over the phone or by<\/span> email), being asked for a password or to verify account details, requesting remote access to<\/span><\/p>\n

your computer, requiring you to pay for something in an unusual way, or having to make a<\/span> decision about something quickly – even if you explain you\u2019re not sure about it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Your online safety checklist<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

The good news is, there are plenty of ways to keep ourselves protected from being<\/span> scammed. Here\u2019s a few tips to get started:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n