It is general knowledge that online fraud has been on the increase since the beginning of the Corona pandemic. One tried-and-tested antidote frequently referred to is “common sense”.
It is always the same kind of ruses: Fraudster contact you via e-mail, text message or by phone pretending to work for well-known organisations (for instance your bank, the post office, delivery service), authorities (for instance the police), or masquerading as someone close to you (for instance your grandchild, an online acquaintance).
Employing threats, purported urgent matters or accusations, they exert psychological pressure on you, with the aim of systematically overriding your “common sense”. All that to persuade you to transfer money or disclose sensitive access data to them.
Does a message or call trigger strong emotions in you? Then you know that your “common sense” is just taking a break. Do the same, take a break, and only return to the matter in hand when you once again have a clear head.
