Scams, misinformation, disinformation, and more

Scams, misinformation, and disinformation are pervasive in today's digital world, infiltrating nearly every aspect of our lives – from online dating and work communications to social media and news consumption. The threat landscape has dramatically evolved, making it frighteningly easy for malicious actors to deceive individuals. Manipulated photos, sophisticated AI voices mimicking loved ones, fake profiles on dating sites, and phishing emails designed to steal personal information are now readily accessible to almost anyone with an internet connection and a device.

How can we effectively combat these threats and safeguard ourselves? This course provides a comprehensive overview of common scams – exploring how they function, why they are so effective, and, crucially, how to identify them. Our focus is on identification and mitigation through understanding the underlying mechanisms.

We'll leverage OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) techniques to empower you with practical skills. You don't need to be a cybersecurity expert or investigator to benefit from this course. It's designed as a step-by-step guide for everyone seeking to protect themselves and others from online deception.

This course is not an exhaustive OSINT training program. Instead, it concentrates on practical application for spotting and avoiding scams and misinformation/disinformation.

Your instructor brings over 25 years of experience in network and security, holding various security certifications and credentials including ethical hacker and OSINT investigator. They are also an online instructor and author for eForensic Magazine and Hackin9, with multiple courses on EC-Council platforms. A passion for online safety drives their commitment to empowering individuals with the knowledge to navigate the digital world securely.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns – even if you haven't enrolled in the course. Your online safety is important!

Key topics covered:

• Identifying common online scams
• Understanding misinformation and disinformation tactics
• Recognizing phishing scams and protecting your personal information
• Spotting fake profiles on dating sites and social media
• Utilizing OSINT for threat identification
• Protecting yourself from AI-generated scams (voice cloning, deepfakes)
• Safeguarding against identity theft
• Understanding how manipulated photos are used in scams