What VPN features can you use to protect yourself from internet scams?

For a long time, we viewed VPNs as digital portals – with one click, you’re in London or Singapore, accessing geo-restricted streaming or websites. But did you know that they can also protect you from online scams? Online security has shifted, and scammers have become smarter and trickier. Masking your IP address isn’t a cure-all for online fraud and malware.

Without strong cyber protection, you stay vulnerable to malicious downloads, email-borne viruses, and personal data leaks. Recognizing this complex problem, many VPN leaders expanded their core offerings into all-in-one cybersecurity suites.

In this article, I explain VPN features and give some provider examples offering these features to protect you from cyber extortion and data compromise.

VPN features that protect you from online scams

Almost everyone has at some point clicked on a link or document out of curiosity and only later realized they fell for a scam. To build a safety net between human error and technology, modern cybersecurity companies turn their products into “pocket-sized bodyguards” for your device. Some top-rated VPNs integrate antivirus software against malware, while others offer only traffic encryption and alternative IP addresses.

Let’s explore some of the core VPN features you can use to protect yourself from internet scams and other cyberthreats.

1. Integrated antivirus

VPNs are great tools for masking your real location and online traffic, but using a VPN alone doesn’t guarantee your device is safe from malware. If you click on a scam link or download an infected file, standard encryption will not stop a virus from spreading to your hard drive.

That’s why some providers have antivirus integrated into their VPN app. For example, NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus inspects and blocks malicious files before you download them. It also runs in the background even when you are not connected to the VPN.

2. DNS filtering and phishing prevention

Every time you search for a website, your device uses a directory called the Domain Name System (DNS) to direct you to the destination. Cybercriminals often use this to redirect you from the real website to an identical fake one to steal your credentials or other information. This is called a DNS attack.

But phishing and scams happen not only through mistyped URLs. In reality, you can encounter them through regular Google searches, such as entering a compromised website or following a fake ad at the top of the page. By leading you to an identical replica of your bank account, scammers collect your personal data before you even realize you were trapped.

VPN services like NordVPN address this with built-in DNS filtering that screens your search requests, stopping you from entering malicious websites. This service puts a safety badge on your search engine results, verifying the link before you click on it.

NordVPN’s built-in next-gen antivirus comes with a phishing protection feature that safeguards your finances and login information by inspecting hidden credential-harvesting code, checking server certificates, and analyzing URLs. NordVPN also collects known phishing websites and scam URLs from internal threat intelligence researchers and external partners. Even if your VPN connection is off, the service blocks your access to a phishing website with an on-screen banner.

Similarly, providers often integrate email protection with their VPN. If a deceptive email succeeds in bypassing your spam filter, the link checker will put a warning sign about fraud, cyberthreats, and suspicious activity.

3. Identity masking

Usual web activities, such as signing up for subscriptions, forums, or newsletters, often require filling in personal information. This information is cataloged by data brokers and can be exposed in data breaches. Identity masking helps minimize your online footprint by providing email, name, phone number, or address aliases.

Surfshark, another VPN provider, pairs its VPN with Alternative ID, which generates temporary personal details. If you don’t trust the website with your privacy or simply want to stay anonymous, I recommend trying this feature. Use identity masking at retail checkouts or peer-to-peer sales to conceal your real address, contact details, and social profiles. If you’re ordering physical goods, provide a valid parcel pickup point address. However, when banking and logging in to governmental portals, you should use real details to avoid account freezes or triggering fraud flags.

4. Dark web monitoring

Your data can easily end up on the dark web, a hidden part of the internet that you cannot access through a regular Google search. This can happen not only due to corporate data breaches but also through infostealer malware on your device, stolen credentials from forums, or scam message links.

Many VPNs include dark web monitoring running continuously in the background that helps to detect hidden breaches for you to act fast. While it’s impossible to remove your compromised data from the dark web, this tool sends you alerts about exposed information and instructs you on how to change passwords and enforce two-factor authentication to avoid further losses.

Final thoughts

Simply hiding your real geo-location with a VPN will not prevent you from getting scammed. In fact, real online safety starts with your alertness and knowledge of how and what VPN features to use to protect your data.

Many modern VPN providers include antivirus, DNS filtering, identity masking, and dark web monitoring features in their products. Some of these features run in the background even with a VPN turned off. Although you can let modern technology protect you, never fully rely on it, and think twice before clicking a link or entering your passwords.

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