With the internet dominating the personal and professional lives of people from all walks of life, the threats created by the digital world need to be seriously addressed. Many people fall victim to several types of cybercrimes and one such crime is cyber kidnapping.
Cyber kidnapping is a cybercrime, which can be done in different contexts; one such way of doing the crime involves deceiving the victim or the family online to make them believe the person is trapped or kidnapped and hence asking for ransom for the release.
The practice also involves situations where criminals acquire access to computer systems without authorization and demand ransom for not diluting the data or preventing the sensitive information from being published in the public domain. Both types of practice come under cyber kidnapping and refer to a type of extortion done in the digital world. However, the practice of cyber kidnapping can have huge consequences if not addressed properly.
Here are some of the ways to not fall victim to cyber kidnapping and if you follow these measures in your digital exercises, you can prevent it from happening. One of the most significant cares you need to give is towards the unsolicited messages as they could be the potential scammers. They may demand some actions or information. Therefore, it is imperative to verify the identities if it is from a trusted source. Restricting yourself from sharing personal information online whether pictures is an effective way to prevent cyber kidnapping. You should also use privacy settings to limit access to your profiles.
Apart from that, educating the people around you, including your family and friends, and reporting suspicious activities, messages and requests are also necessary. Special vigilance to social engineering tactics, which are widely used by cyber criminals, is required to prevent emotional play.
Further, one of the most important aspects of staying secure from attackers is getting updated with the latest information, potential threats and security options to build a strong defence against cyber scams including cyber kidnapping. Lastly, do not hesitate to consult the cyber security experts or seek legal help when trapped.