Technology Criminals Are After Your Money

There are those who have jobs as scammers. They are located all over the world…..It is an international business. And if they can’t get your money one way, they will try to get it in another way.

In an attempt to stop the scammers from stealing money from their victims, the ethical hacker has become an actual job. There is actually a certification for the job, and as a certified ethical hacker, one can make a lot of money.

According Infosec Resources (Brecht, 2022), the following are some of the “hottest” job titles for a CEH and their respective salaries:

  • Info Security Manager (pay range: $77k – $154k/avg. $117,528)
  • Cyber Security Engineer (pay range: $73k – $146k/avg. $109,706)
  • Penetration Tester (pay range: $61k – $149k/avg. $94,405)
  • Security Analyst (pay range: $53k – $101k/avg. $72,118)
  • Security Consultant (Computing/Networking/Information Technology) pay range: $67k – $155k/avg. $101,939)

The most lucrative job titles for a CEH appear to be titles such as “manager” or “engineer.” Below are also the most popular skills and their effect on salary (Brecht, 2022).

  • Network Security Management ▲8% (avg. $89,300/year)
  • IT Security & Infrastructure ▲2% (avg. $85,000/year)

Some who started out as criminal internet hackers have found their way into ethical hacking positions. My hope and prayer is that more of the criminals will find their way out of using technology for the bad and start using their skills for the good…..but I am not very optimistic that many will know how to get there even if they want to do so. Many of them are working in organized crime, and some of those people get locked into it according to my understanding.

So it is up to all of us to learn how to recognize red flags and how to safeguard ourselves. See the articles posted below – especially if you are on dating apps, Facebook, etc., and getting into personal communications with people you do not personally know….and/or especially if you are getting ready to sell or buy real estate. The article, 11 real estate scams: How to stay safe when buying a Home, cites many of the reasons that I, as a REALTOR® and licensed real estate broker, advise both buyers and sellers to use a REALTOR® and not try to do a FSBO (For Sale By Owner).


REFERENCES:

Brecht, D. (2022, June 22). Certified ethical hacker (CEH) job outlook [updated 2022]. Infosec Resources. https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/certification/certified-ethical-hacker-job-outlook/

King, C. (2023, June 4). Common blackmail scams performed by romance scammers in 2023. Romance Scams. https://www.romancescams.org/blackmail/

Ot, A. (2021, May 3). The blurry line between ethical and criminal hacking. How. https://www.howtogeek.com/devops/the-blurry-line-between-ethical-and-criminal-hacking/

Ravichandran, H. (2022, December 27). 11 real estate scams: How to stay safe when buying a Home. Aura. https://www.aura.com/learn/real-estate-scams#:~:text=The%2011%20Latest%20and%20Most%20Common%20Real%20Estate,property%20inspectors%29%20%E2%80%9CWe%20Buy%20Homes%20For%20Cash%E2%80%9D%20scams

About Mary Kelly

Mary Kelly is a retired community college professor, a licensed real estate broker in the states of Florida and Georgia, and a writer. She has three masters' degrees and is an avid reader - mostly of non-fiction. Her areas of study and experience are in business, computer science, and education. She currently resides in Waycross, Georgia, and her home is truly furnished for the comfort and convenience of her dogs. She loves the outdoors and loves walking in parks along lakes and on beaches. And she is somewhat of a minimalist and doesn't value having a lot of possessions.
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