What do cybercriminals do to disrupt online privacy?
A user’s privacy on the internet is aggressively exploited by people extracting information that can cause financial, occupational, and mental devastation:
Scammers
Scammers can lace e-mails or programs with malicious software to directly access sensitive information from a personal computer. Alternatively, they can contact e-mail addresses or phone numbers to indirectly phish sensitive information from an unsuspecting individual[1].
These fraudulent methods are reliant on a person’s internet experience as users feeling anxious of authority are likely to click on unsolicited links while users who identify with the internet are unlikely to click on suspicious links[3]. This means people with less internet expertise are more vulnerable to privacy threats, but to gather more internet experience means to expose oneself to privacy threats; thus, creating a privacy paradox.
Doxxers
Doxxers expose and leak identifying information online, usually out of harassment or retaliation. This action can lead to ramifications on the careers of online personalities and public figures and it does not factor in the victim's choice; leading to feelings of intimidation and humiliation[2].
