Can you remember the world before smartphones and steady internet connectivity? While it wasn’t long ago, it certainly feels like it. This is because the world has experienced a massive digital revolution in the past two decades.
As per Statista, internet users have increased from 413 million in 2000 to 4.57 billion in 2020. Now, according to eMarketer, an average user spends 2 hours and 11 minutes on apps every day, which constitutes 90 percent of the mobile usage time.
The digital revolution has brought various benefits to the masses. People now find themselves connected with everyone, despite the physical distance between them. Ecommerce apps and platforms have made shopping a piece of cake.
Despite all of this, there is a dark side of the online world that everyone must remain cautious of – the world of phishing and spam.
The Threat of Spam
Spams are mostly quite dangerous. For instance, a spam email can trick you with a false promise or discount, thereby encouraging you to disclose your bank details. If you do so, the scammer can then proceed to steal your identity or withdraw money! In fact, 73 percent of phishing emails intend to steal the identities of users.
To further understand the gravity of the issue, here are some phishing and spam facts you should know about.
- Forty-five percent of the daily 69.32 emails sent over the internet is spam. (Talos Intelligence and Spam laws)
- Thirty-six percent of spam content is unwanted advertisements. (Spamlaws)
0.000008 percent of spam emails are answered. (TechRadar) - Spam Emails earn approximately $7000 daily. (GroupMail)
- Apple users are a popular target of phishers and spammers. (Proofpoint)
Third-Party Spams: The Plight of the Telecom Providers
While not as dangerous as identity theft phishing attempts, a common medium for spam is through third-party apps and providers.
The telecom sector is especially susceptible to such attacks.
For instance, many times, third party billing spam occurs when users receive calls from the operator confirming if the charges of certain calls made by their friends and family can be billed to the user’s account. Oftentimes, the services are not provided, but the user is charged for it regardless.
At other times, you might find a link when browsing the internet, like in the case of airG spam. When you click on the link, additional charges are automatically levied on your phone bill.
Billing Spams: The Myths
Yes, spam occurs a lot in the digital world. However, what makes it worse is the misinformation that is prevalent regarding them. Here are three myths surrounding spams.
