As Internet users we all should pay close attention to security measures when we navigate. This is because problems such as the phishing , where a subject impersonates another person in order to perform any type of criminal act may occur, even make any purchase or attempt an attack.
This modality is increasingly applied by cyber criminals, who take the opportunity to perform different types of transactions on behalf of another person, since this can be done motivated to there are apps that do not provide the necessary security . In this post we show you everything you need to know to stay safe from unwanted episodes.
This type of crime has been increasing today, as computer criminals seek to take advantage of the undisputed rise in the use of the Internet and social networks.
Index:
What is phishing and what is the intention ?
Impersonation is that by which a third party subtracts your personal information in order to carry out an unlawful act, such as: the theft of money, a fraud, a purchase , among others .
It should be noted that your identity is composed of your personal data such as your name, bank account information, room address, your telephone number or any type of data that may cause you to be identified.
Criminals use this methodology in order to hire some type of service, make an expense with your credit card, perform any type of illegal act or buy things online .
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What are the main risks of a person taking our identity like yours?
As stated in the previous points, phishing can bring with it several types of risks, which can cause many inconveniences, within which we can get:
- Instability.
- Falsification of your identity.
- Create marks in the electronic space.
- Uncertainty.
- Management of minds and actions.
To avoid them, it is essential that programs that provide adequate security are formed, with the intention of creating processes that make these cases do not exist, apart from preventing the things we do from being recorded on the network and our privacy is violated and much less our personal information.
Phishing, how does identity substitution work on the Internet?
Before describing this point, it is important to indicate that “phishing” or phishing is when an unknown person uses your data without your permission for a specific purpose .
Now, this criminal method allows criminals to steal your personal information and cross the limits of your security to commit any type of scam , slander or insult, which are the most common crimes running a hacker, so its type of attack can be:
- Against a public service , this person impersonates the identity of the person who works in a certain company to ask you to indicate your personal information, and then take it to make transactions to your bank account .
- Against social pages , where some third party sends you a message through any network with an external link, and at the moment of clicking it your personal data is stolen and stolen.
In case you think this has happened to you, it is important that you constantly check your bank accounts and your social networks.
How can I protect myself from phishing so that nobody takes my identity online ?
Phishing can cause your passwords to be violated and commit a fraudulent act with your accounts. That is why when you enter a website it is essential that you check the URL, for that you can place the mouse on the link. However, links are covered with fake domain names or letters so you can enter a page that is not legitimate.
To protect our personal data when we surf the web it is essential that:
Be careful with certain websites
There are pages that are handled by criminals with the intention of stealing information and committing fraud, which is why when entering a we must make sure that it is safe and always be alert when they require that information about our bank account, telephone or room place is provided.
Use an antivirus
A good option is to analyze your computer constantly with the intention of verifying that there is no type of malware or virus.
Constantly modify your passwords
People who subtract information can enter your email, so you must choose a good password to prevent this from happening. It is recommended that you use different passwords and change them several times.
Crimes of impersonation who pretends to be another in Spain?
There are many cases where people have been supplanted by identity, because today this is constantly happening, so criminals create any type of profile with which violates security .
In Spain, this type of crime itself is not established in the Criminal Code, but it is stipulated when the marital status is supplanted, which is typified in the article 401 of the Criminal Code, which establishes that:
“He will be punished with a prison sentence of 6 months to 3 years who supplants the marital status of another person”
Similarly, this type of crime is punishable by Article 402 , which reads as follows:
“Anyone who performs any illegal act invested in the figure of an official or public authority will be punished with a prison sentence of 1 to 3 years.”
Now, this punishment seeks to protect the identity of people apart from the public faith, since for it to be consummated it is essential that the identity of another person be usurped and that it commits some type of fraud that harms the victim .
For example, one of the crimes that is most used by these criminals is the violation of the right to self-image, established in the article 18 of the Spanish Constitution , where a third party establishes a fake profile with the information it takes from another subject, such as its name.
Also, it can happen that this criminal subtracts a password or another person’s account and accesses it, meaning that a third party gets into a profile of another subject stealing their passwords or their accounts and where they access them, reason why must comply with a penalty of 1 to 4 years , as well as a fine of 12 to 24 months, according to article 197 of the Criminal Code.