July 28, 2021
Phishing, identity theft and hijacked credit cards. These are just some of the cybercrimes that Indians experience every day. According to a report, 27 million Indian adults have been victims of identity theft in the past 12 months. Another alarming statistic is that 52 percent of adults in India do not know how to protect themselves against cybercrime.
Thus, there are indications that cybercrime is something that happens far too often in India. Although digital devices and online platforms seem to be constantly evolving and getting better and better, this does not help if you do not know how to protect yourself from cybercrime.
What defines cybercrime?
Cybercrime is a criminal activity that either attacks or infects a computer, a computer network or a networked device. Often cybercrimes are committed by cybercriminals or ‘hackers’ who want to make money. Some cybercrimes are organized and implemented by the use of advanced technology. The cybercriminals committing the crime are usually very technically savvy.
Cybercrime can take many forms. Something that has unfortunately become very common only in recent years is cybercrime at gambling sites, like online casinos and betting platforms. This is because money is usually involved. Indians, just like people around the world, love the excitement that comes with gambling and that is why cybercrime on those platforms is such a widespread problem today.
Connect to a VPN when gambling
Not even half of the adult population in India knows how to protect themselves against cybercrime. This is a big problem because the first step in preventing cybercrime is to know how to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
You do not have to be an IT nerd to stay safe online. A good way to prevent cybercrime is to use a VPN when browsing and/or gambling online. By using a VPN connection, the traffic goes via a server located elsewhere in the world, which protects your computer from both tracking and intrusion attempts.
Thus, you can gamble on legitimate sites with money involved, without having to worry about a cybercriminal stealing your money and/or personal data. Reading an online gambling guide will lead you to only licensed casinos so you can feel safe while playing. It will also present you with the best bonuses and give you general information about gambling.
Other security measures to take
Unfortunately, connecting to a VPN service is usually not enough to avoid cybercrime. It is a good first step, but it must be combined with other safety measures to work. There has been an increase in phishing and ransomware attacks during the pandemic, whereas a VPN is not enough to avoid such attacks.
Whether you are gambling at casinos or managing a transaction on e-commerce, it is always a good idea to have an antivirus program installed on your device. Antivirus is, in short, a program that strengthens your computer’s immune system. It automatically protects your computer from known forms of malware and other dangerous files.
Other than that, make sure you do not carry through any transactions if there is not a mandatory two-factor authentication to succeed. With two-factor authentication, you can prevent hackers from accessing your account, even if they have obtained your password.