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Fraud Insight
Human trafficking is a global industry that affects millions of people every year.
It is easy to think of slavery as a thing of the past. Unfortunately, modern forms of slavery exist all around the world, with the internet now playing a central role. Men, women, and children are forced into criminal and sexual exploitation, marriage, and various kinds of labour.
How do human traffickers lure their victims?
From obvious ploys to cunning manipulation, the tactics these criminals use come in many forms.
Catfishing online
It may be as simple as contacting someone through social media or a dating app and building a relationship.
This approach takes more time, but it also helps the attacker gain their victim’s trust. With fake photos, fabricated stories, and a carefully crafted charming personality, these people are easy to fall for. The victim is eager to meet them in real life, but the dinner or drinks in a remote bar could end up being something else entirely.
Online relationships are particularly dangerous to children who tend to be more vulnerable.
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is also popular among human traffickers. People tend to over share online, giving criminals all the information they need. Location check-ins on Facebook and geotags on Instagram pictures can reveal where a person is at that exact moment. It also helps criminals put together their victim’s daily schedule and work out when and where they are most likely to be alone.
Phishing
Some of the tactics used by human traffickers are borrowed from cybercriminals’ toolbox. For example, they can get your number and send out a fake message with a malicious link that reveals your location when you open it. Unfortunately, many people fall for these kinds of scams and tap on the link without a second thought.
How to protect yourself and your loved ones
These are not small-minded criminals looking to trick you into giving away a few hundred dollars. Human traffickers use sophisticated tactics that are hard to spot and trace back to them.
But there are some red flags you can look out for when a stranger tries to contact you online.
Steps to protect yourself and your family.
Do not trust too fast
When you meet someone new online, maintain a healthy suspicion. Look for catfishing giveaways: they get too friendly too fast, ask very personal questions without providing information about themselves, and want to meet right away.
Think before you post
Before sharing anything online, ask yourself the following questions. What information does your post give away to a stranger? How could they use it against you? Who will be able to see it? Consider changing your privacy settings so that only your friends and followers can see your content. And make sure you vet every account that wants to follow you before granting them access.
Beware of phishing
Badly written scam emails are easy to spot, but people still fall for them way too often. Experienced criminals put a lot more effort into their fake messages and the only sure way to stay safe is to doubt everything. Why is a courier trying to contact you? Are you expecting a package? Did this shipping company ever send you similar messages before? If you have the slightest doubt, don’t open it.
Talk to your friends and family
Let them know when you are going to meet someone new. Give them information about this person and stay in contact. Ask your loved ones to do the same – children or younger siblings are particularly vulnerable in these situations, so help them understand why it may be dangerous and how they should act to stay safe.
Protect your online life
Use antimalware tools to protect your devices and encrypt your online activity. Store your passwords and other personal information in an encrypted vault. – nordvpn.com
Online Reporter