These days, it is hard to know who to trust, especially when it comes to fake online accounts, giveaways, and general cybersecurity. The pandemic provided a ripe opportunity for scammers to take on new online scams, and in many cases, schemes that are more sophisticated and hard to spot.

These have to do with everything from fraudulent calls verifying your credit card and identity, to tricking people to enter contests that are not real or are not run by real companies.

We've put together some tips for staying safe online:

1. Keep your private details secure

Make sure you are only giving your confidential information out on a secure, trusted website. You can tell if a website is secure if it has a padlock next to the URL.

2. Verify the phone number of the person calling you

Even if it's a company you trust, like Share Lawyers, make sure that it is really someone you know or have worked with before you give out confidential information or credit card information. Share Lawyers, as well as banks and governments usually take confidential information over the phone, via mail and not via email.

Verify that the person you are talking to is a real person by asking to call them back and then verify that the number is accurate and connected to the right business. At Share Lawyers, our clients have a case number, which is a good way to check for safety. Another great place to look for a potential scam is in the email signature of the person emailing you. Is the signature linked to a legitimate website? Is the phone number connected to a real business?

3. Social media contests are frequently targeted

We frequently run giveaways, including our Top Fan contests, and these types of contests will never ask for confidential information. As scammers and online hackers are getting more sophisticated with their approaches, sometimes there are false websites or copycat accounts for successful businesses. Top Instagram influencers are often posting that someone has made a copycat account and are running fake contests that trick their followers into sharing their information. It's great to win a free contest, but not when it comes at the cost of your privacy.

4. Don't download apps or PDFs without looking into the source first

A lot of scammers and cyberhackers are using enticing clickbait to get you to download an unsafe file. These files may be compromised and can put malware on your computer, and you should avoid clicking links or downloading things that look suspicious.

As legal professionals, even we can find it difficult to know what is a scam and what is not, so please be cautious and diligent about your online footprint.