How to Know if an SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram and Email Message is Dangerous

The use of social networks and messaging apps has changed the way we communicate. We are receiving e-mails, SMS, or WhatsApp or Telegram messages almost constantly. Cybercriminals know these are our favorite forms of communication, and they try to take advantage of it. In this tutorial we are going to learn how to identify if an SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram or email message can be dangerous, and how to avoid problems by clicking on links or answering.

Frauds on the Internet are very present today. Anyone can be the victim of scams that put their security, privacy or finances at risk. For example, we can receive an e-mail, which is actually a Phishing attack. What they want in these cases is that we enter our user data and password to access our bank account, and logically, steal money or very valuable information.

Know if an SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram and Email Message is Dangerous

SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram or email messages can be dangerous. For this reason, it is advisable to have an antivirus installed on our PC or on our smartphone. As a complement, especially for PCs, it would also be good to add software to protect us from ransomware, adware, malware and other threats.

First barrier of defense: common sense

Common sense is the first defense barrier against malicious messages that we can receive. If an unknown contact sends us a message with a link, we must never click, and we must delete it immediately. If we receive a message from a contact of ours, with a link inside, you must make sure that he has sent it to us and that it has not been malware installed on his smartphone, otherwise, you could also get infected if you click on the link.

Fraudulent SMS how to distinguish them and how to act

Thanks to the text messages or SMS we receive on our mobile, we can be victims of many attacks if we are not attentive. A few years ago they were very popular and were a quick way to send a small text. However, today it is very little used by users and they have been mostly replaced by instant messaging apps. Generally, we only receive SMS with verification codes (such as for banking operations), or advertising, and sometimes there are also fraudulent ones.

Detectar fraude en los SMS

If we do wrong, without the appropriate measures, in addition to the mobile device in question, personal data and passwords could also be stolen. Imagine how dangerous it can be for them to get your bank passwords. In this sense, it is very important to know how to distinguish when an SMS can be a fraud. In this way we will be alert and will not make mistakes that may affect us. By simply following a series of tips we will significantly increase our security.

One of the things that should make us suspicious is when they have a link, regardless of whether it is HTTP or HTTPS . This type of links in SMS can be from a Phishing attack. For example, they can simulate your bank’s website so you can enter your username and password. What they are doing is sending you to a website that they have created specifically to steal your data or money.

Another tactic they often use is sending SMS from platforms that we don’t use . They are usually from courier companies such as Correos, Seur etc. If we have not ordered anything, and if we are not expecting any package, we must always be suspicious. In addition, when in doubt, the platform where we have bought usually has a direct link to where our package is, or at least, it will indicate which company is in charge of our order.

If that text message is directed in a generic way, we must also be suspicious. It is observed that they are not addressed to our name and they put messages of the type “dear user / client”. The alert SMS in which they comment that our account is going to be suspended, or that there is a serious problem are another clear example. Do nothing and always check it through official channels.

Finally, if you receive a text message with grammatical errors , you should also be suspicious. Usually they are due to mistakes when being translated from other languages and they try to commit a scam.

Emails as a means of scam

In this sense, it should be noted that many of the advice related to SMS can be applied to emails.

Seguridad en el e-mail

However, in addition, we are going to give a series of basic guidelines to avoid becoming a victim:

  1. Do not open emails whose sender we do not know.
  2. Take a good look at the subject of the message . If it is generic and has enough spelling mistakes, it is a sign to be suspicious.
  3. Never reply to suspicious emails . This can give cyber criminals clues that this email is active.
  4. Under no circumstances open links . Remember what we have talked about phishing before.

With these basic tips, you will be able to be safe from the vast majority of phishing messages that you can find through email.

How to avoid fraud and viruses through WhatsApp and Telegram

If we use WhatsApp in its web version (Windows), as in mobile devices, we can fall into different types of fraud. The same could be said of Telegram, which can be used on both Android and Windows.

Aspectos de seguridad de WhatsApp y Telegram

One way to know if an SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram or email message can be dangerous is by using common sense. We must be thoughtful and analytical if we want to do things right. In this sense, adding malware to our computer inadvertently is easier than many people think. Simply open a fraudulent link so that the cybercriminal can take advantage of us.

Usually this type of scam comes through a link of some striking offer . The best we can do in these cases is not to click on these links . A typical example of this is when you suddenly receive messages in a new chat from a totally unknown person. In addition, it comes with a link to a news item or an offer. We should never open these types of links under any circumstances.

As a general rule, never open any links if they come from contacts we do not know . Nor if it is sent to us by a friend or relative and we notice that this link is suspicious. If we have doubts and we think it is something suspicious, let you know so that you can take action in case you have been infected.

Our second barrier of defense: antivirus software

SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram or email messages can be dangerous. For this reason, it is advisable to have an antivirus installed on our PC or on our smartphone. As a complement, especially for PCs, it would also be good to add software to protect us from ransomware, adware, malware and other threats.

Antivirus software for Android

We are going to start by recommending some antivirus for Android so that you can protect your smartphones and tablets, these antivirus not only take care of controlling that we do not have malware on our terminal, they also incorporate interesting added functionalities.

AVG AntiVirus , in addition to performing protection tasks, is capable of performing other functions. For example, some related to performance, such as disabling the options that consume the most battery, cleaning unnecessary files and freeing up storage space. It also has an anti-theft function to locate our lost or stolen phone with Google Maps, in addition to locking the phone and setting a message on the locked screen. It is a free and very complete version.

Another is Kaspersky Antivirus which has antivirus protection, background checking, mobile tracking, anti-theft, application blocking and anti-phishing functions. In addition, it has a web filter that filters out dangerous links and sites when you browse the Internet. It is also free and is in the Play Store.

Another very popular is Avast Antivirus . This app protects your device against phishing attacks from email, infected websites or SMS messages. In addition, it has an antivirus engine, application blocking, anti-theft, photo chest, energy saving and RAM booster. Another free antivirus that you can install from here:

To finish with Android, we have Bitdefender another classic in protection software. In addition to virus protection, it has a built-in smart scanner that monitors applications for suspicious activity. Another thing that stands out is that you don’t have anything to configure to make it work efficiently.

Antivirus and antimalware software for PC

Now it is the turn to mention some PC software. Although messaging apps are used more on mobile phones, they can also be used on these devices. The Windows 10 application store, in case you don’t know, has the Telegram and WhatsApp app.

portatil

For example, we can use the following security software to protect our Windows PCs:

  1. Avast Antivirus
  2. AVG Antivirus
  3. Bitdefender Antivirus
  4. Malwarebytes

Therefore, from this article we recommend that you have this type of software installed on your PC or smartphone. Remember that antivirus and antimalware programs are our second line of defense since SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram or email can be dangerous, especially if we do not review them calmly and with common sense.