Answers to Your Questions: How can I guard against insurance SMS fraud? What safety measures should I take?

 Answers to Your Questions: How can I guard against insurance SMS fraud? What safety measures should I take?

2. I am a retired person in my 50s. A few years ago, I came across an incident whereby I unintentionally clicked on a fraudulent SMS message purporting to be about my life insurance renewal, exposing my personal information. I'm wary now when I open a text message. What safety measures can I take to guard against these efforts at insurance-related SMS fraud?

I regret learning about your prior experience with SMS scam. It's also wise that you are looking for the appropriate guidance to ensure that you never run into this type of situation again. It is important that you confirm the legitimacy of these messages before clicking on any links, since I am aware that many of our clients often depend on text texts from insurers to remind them of their renewal payments.

It is highly advised that you cross-check the sender of the text message to make sure it is the legitimate phone number of your insurance company. A unwanted mail may include links or attachments that should not be clicked since they might be dangerous. It is not advisable to provide private or financial information over SMS since reputable insurance firms would not ask for this kind of information. Unexpected SMS messages about insurance should raise suspicions. To confirm the message's legitimacy, get in touch with your insurer immediately.

Additionally, maintain your smartphone's operating system and applications up to date, and think about downloading mobile security software (antivirus) to recognize and reject questionable communications. By taking these precautions, you may greatly lower your chance of being a victim of SMS scam efforts and safeguard your personal information.

Q. I am a professional 28 years old, and I bought a life insurance policy for myself last year. I get emails all the time about insurance-related things. How can I be sure that messages I get from my insurance are real?

It's critical to exercise caution in this increasingly digital environment, where companies are always attempting to stay connected and communicate via a variety of online means. I'm happy to see that you are aware of the risks to cyber security that even a straightforward email might provide, and that you are taking proactive steps to protect yourself against fraud and scams.

Even though you may get a ton of emails from different businesses every day, you should always err on the side of caution when it comes to vital and pertinent correspondence. After all, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Examine the email address from the sender and make sure it matches the official domain name of your insurer (the address for any Internet-accessible web server). Visual cues are a very useful tool for identifying real products from fakes. Thus, be mindful of the email's visual components, including the typefaces and the corporate logo. Additionally, personalized information about your insurance is often included in authentic communications.

It should go without saying that you shouldn't download attachments or click on questionable URLs. Rather, I would highly advise spending a few more minutes going straight to the official website of your insurance. Use the proper ways to contact their customer care if you have any questions. Aggressive or urgent language is often used in phishing emails to coerce recipients into taking rapid action. 

But it's crucial to resist giving in to these strategies. Rather, take your time and pay attention to spelling and punctuation mistakes. To protect yourself against fraudulent tactics, keep educated, do your research, and use caution as a savvy consumer.