Any of us could fall victim to online scams, warns Cert NZ's Sam Leggett. Photo / Getty Images
Any of us could fall victim to online scams, warns Cert NZ's Sam Leggett. Photo / Getty Images
If you've been hooked by Netflix's tales of Tinder swindlers and fake heiresses, you're not alone - and you're probably wondering if you too could fall victim to an elaborate scam.
The con artists in Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna have captured our attention, but they've also raised the question - how safe are any of us from being scammed out of our money?
You may not have been defrauded of your life savings on a dating app or had your identity stolen, but there are countless ways you could be scammed.
We've all been sent phishing emails, been hacked on Facebook or got spam texts telling us we've got parcels out for delivery. As these scams become more elaborate, what are our weaknesses when it comes to our personal cyber security? And what steps can we take to keep ourselves safe online?
Cert NZ senior threat analyst Sam Leggett deals with reports of scams like these directly - and he says there's a worrying rise in the number of Kiwis getting scammed.
Data from the previous quarter shows this rise, he says.
"We had 1000 reports of phishing, which was a 75 per cent increase on the previous quarter, and 500 reports of online scams, showing a 25 per cent increase."
Leggett says those reports are just the tip of the iceberg - and some are more vulnerable than others.
"The elderly are the most susceptible, but it's also those who didn't grow up with technology. Kids who are now growing up using iPads and stuff know how to navigate the internet."
But even the internet-savvy can fall victim, he adds.
"I know a guy who works in IT who fell for a phishing scam.
"The wording gets people and it's relevant to the current landscape - many of us are waiting for packages to be delivered, so you can see that they target real-world things that are going on."
Leggett says that romance and dating scams can have the most serious impact on people because they're not just financial, but emotional.
"Because people are forming a connection with someone who wants their money. And it's the most impacting when people don't want to believe it's true."
Any of us could fall victim to online scams, warns Cert NZ's Sam Leggett. Photo / Getty Images
It turns out scammers typically target common weaknesses- passwords and a lack of two-factor authentication
"Weak passwords are those with specific information to you that can be found on your social media," Leggett says, adding that using the same password for multiple accounts is also a no-no.
"If any of those sites have a data breach and that includes your password, then anywhere else that has your password is at risk."
Leggett says lack of awareness also leaves many people vulnerable.
"Be aware of what these scams are trying to get from you and what those messages could look like."
People shouldn't hesitate to report any suspicious messages, he says.
"Better to be safe than sorry."
Four ways you can protect yourself online
Upcycle your passwords.
Passwords should be long, strong and unique, Leggett says.
If updating your passwords seems like a daunting task, start with your most important passwords - i.e. your bank password - and work back from there to your emails and social media accounts.
Not every online account you have will offer two-factor authentication or biometrics like a fingerprint, but you should upgrade where you can, Leggett says.
That way even if your account is hacked, your data won't be compromised.
Check your privacy settings
It's worth doing regular privacy checks on all your apps and accounts, Leggett says.
You can double-check who is seeing your content on your social media accounts and change app permissions.
