Question 26 - Sample Paper 1 by Teachoo - Teachoo Sample Paper

Riya received an email from an unknown sender claiming to be from her bank. The email asked her to click on a link and verify her account details, otherwise her account would be suspended. Riya clicked on the link and entered her username and password on the website that opened. Later, she found out that her account was hacked and some money was transferred to another account without her consent.

Identify and explain the cybercrime that Riya was a victim of. How could she have prevented it? 

Answer:

Answer by student

The cybercrime that Riya was a victim of is called phishing . Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or bank details by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Phishing emails often contain links to fake websites that look like the legitimate ones, but are designed to steal the user’s information.

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Riya could have prevented this cybercrime by following some precautions, such as:

• Checking the sender’s email address and the URL of the website carefully before clicking on any link or entering any information.
• Not responding to any email that asks for personal or financial information, especially if it creates a sense of urgency or threat.

• Contacting her bank directly through phone or official website to verify the authenticity of the email.

Detailed answer by teachoo

• The cybercrime that Riya was a victim of is called phishing . Phishing is a technique of fraudulently obtaining private information. 
• Typically, the phisher sends an e-mail that appears to come from a legitimate business—a bank, or credit card company—requesting “verification” of information and warning of some dire consequence if it is not provided. The e-mail usually contains a link to a fraudulent web page that seems legitimate—with company logos and content—and has a form requesting everything from a home address to an ATM card’s PIN.

• Phishing is a common cybercrime that targets millions of users every year. It exploits the human tendency to trust and obey authority figures, and uses social engineering techniques to manipulate the users into revealing their confidential information. Phishing emails often contain spelling and grammatical errors, generic greetings, and fake logos or signatures to make them look authentic.
• Phishing can have serious consequences for the victims, such as identity theft, financial loss, or compromised security. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the signs of phishing and how to prevent it.
• Riya could have prevented this cybercrime by following some precautions, such as :
• Checking the sender’s email address and the URL of the website carefully before clicking on any link or entering any information. Phishing emails often use spoofed or similar-looking addresses and domains to trick the users. For example, an email from [email protected] might be genuine, but an email from [email protected] or [email protected] might be phishing.
• Not responding to any email that asks for personal or financial information, especially if it creates a sense of urgency or threat. Legitimate businesses never ask for such information through email, and they do not threaten to suspend or close accounts without proper notice. Users should always be suspicious of any email that asks them to act quickly or face negative consequences.
• Contacting her bank directly through phone or official website to verify the authenticity of the email. Users should never use the contact details provided in the email, as they might be fake or redirected to the phishers. Instead, they should use the official phone number or website of their bank to confirm if the email is genuine or not.

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