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Digital skills: succeeding in a digital world
Digital skills: succeeding in a digital world

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2.2 Avoiding online scams and hoaxes

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Figure _unit5.2.2 Figure 2 Scams and hoaxes

You may already be aware of email scams, such as emails claiming to be from banks or those that ask for personal details. These hoax emails can look genuine but often contain links that lead to unsafe websites or attachments that contain viruses. You can also be scammed through social media, for example, through a Facebook quiz that requires access to information held on your Facebook account.

Remember to:

  • Be vigilant and trust your gut instinct on suspicious emails.
  • Be critical. Look at the style of writing. Is it stilted? Does it contain bad spelling and grammar?
  • Think about who has sent the email. If it comes from people you know, consider whether this is something they would send.
  • Look carefully at what information apps or quizzes require access to, and think about how comfortable you are about agreeing to this access.

Next week, you will explore, in greater detail, who and what you can trust online.