Mykhail Zborovskyi views information security as an integral part of personal effectiveness. This material provides basic rules and guidelines on internet safety. It will certainly be useful for refreshing or structuring your knowledge.

How to Spot a Digital Trap: Tips for Everyone

Never click on links sent by strangers, or even by friends if the message looks atypical (for example: "Look, is this you in the photo?" or "Your payout has been credited"). Scammers frequently hack accounts to distribute viruses to contacts. Phishing websites look like exact copies of well-known banks or marketplaces. The difference might be just a single letter in the address bar (for instance, olxx.ua instead of olx.ua). Always check for the "padlock" icon (https://) next to the website address.

Mykhail Zborovskyi Cosmobet (ex-beneficiary) emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, especially when it comes to personal finances:

"In the digital world, trust must be backed by verification. The best defense against scammers is your attention to detail and the understanding that there are no free lunches."

Never share CVV codes or SMS passwords. Real bank employees will never ask for the three digits on the back of your card, passwords, or other confidential information. If you are asked to provide this data, you are 100% dealing with a scammer. Also, beware of anything "free" — paid surveys, sudden prize draws, or offers of unbelievable discounts. Remember, no one on the internet hands out money for nothing.

What the Statistics Say: The Scale of the Problem

Unfortunately, internet fraud is a global industry. According to reports from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and analyses by cybersecurity firms, phishing remains the leading cause of personal data breaches. Specifically, research by Lookout shows that a new phishing site is created every 20 seconds.

For Mykhail Zborovskyi Cosmobet (ex-beneficiary), it is crucial not to forget: fraudsters are increasingly using artificial intelligence to generate perfectly written texts and even forge voices via deepfakes.

How to Protect Yourself Right Now

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all important accounts (email, social networks, banking).
• Set a limit for online purchases in your banking app.
• Use a virtual (e-card) card for transactions on unfamiliar websites.

"If an online offer looks too good to be true, it's worth questioning its reality. Unbelievable discounts on tech, sudden wins in lotteries you never entered, or easy earnings in three clicks — this is always free cheese in a mousetrap, for which you will pay with your own money or data security," emphasizes Mykhail Zborovskyi Cosmobet (ex-beneficiary).

Your security online depends less on the complexity of your antivirus software and more on your ability to pause for a minute and verify the information. Most cybercriminals exploit your haste and gaps in knowledge — by eliminating these factors, the chance of being deceived drops almost to zero.