There are a number of scams on the internet that people need to be aware of while using the web. To avoid being a victim of online fraud, users first need to understand how these scams work. Here is a look at some of the most common scams that you can find on various online platforms.
Foreign Lottery Scam
When you receive a mail from a company which declares you as the winner of a foreign lottery, you have cause to feel immediately suspicious. Check the mail to see it has been sent by single sender like [email protected] instead of the company’s URL extension since the mail was allegedly sent on behalf of the company. If it is sent by a single person then the chances are very high that this is another case of online fraud. Also look if the mail was addressed to you in the ‘To’ column, if not it would be been dispatched to hundreds of other e-mail ids. These fraudulent companies are looking to see who will respond and once somebody does, they will reply back asking them to send their personal information which includes confidential banking details. The best way of dealing with this type of online fraud is not respond back and they will stop bothering you sooner than later.
Quiz Scam
Certain types of online fraud work behind the scenes in such a manner that you don’t even realize its effects until it’s too late. For instance, with certain apps, you might get asked certain questions on pop culture or other topics which might see like a fun kind of quiz to try out. These quiz questions especially appear on social networking sites and certain apps. Before you start, you should provide your cell phone details. As you keep playing, the company that has created the questions will be charging you on the sly and you will realize this only when you check your phone bill the following month. Hence if you are going to try your hand at a quiz in the future, make sure that it is the real deal.
Online Fraud Photo Scam
Have you ever received a message on social media websites from your friends who suddenly contact you saying that there is naked photo of you out on the net? Obviously, most people will click on the link provided below to check if the photo is genuine. You should note right of the bat that this has become a very notorious example of online fraud on various social network forums like Facebook and Twitter. The cyber-criminal waits to see you log into your account and by clicking on the link, he end up getting your log in details. He can then hijack your account and try the scam on people featuring on friends list. From here he could do a number of things as it puts him in a position to even try out other scams.
For instance, he could get in touch with your acquaintances pretending that you need emergency monetary help since you are trapped abroad with no access to funds. While some friends might call you first to find more about the situation, others might first send the money to the bank account mentioned in the message before thinking about getting in touch with you.
Online Fraud Sickness Scam
Every now and then, you are bound to come across ads featuring images of little children who are facing severe health problems like leukemia or cancer. The images would be published along with a caption requesting readers to provide financial help. This might be another case of online fraud and the whole thing may be the handy work of a cyber criminal looking to make money by taking advantage of people’s tendency to offer a helping hand to those in need. This type of scam is particularly unfortunate because it has generated a general sense of distrust when people see such images. Even when you come across ads that are genuine, there is no sure way to know whether it is a scam or not. In the end, it is the kids and the parents who suffer since they are losing an important method of enabling people to contribute to the cause.
Nigerian Scam
A lot of people are nowadays aware of the Nigerian 419 scam and the many forms it has taken over the years. However, being one of the most common types of online fraud on the internet, people still end up being conned. When you are being promised the chances to make hundreds of thousands of dollars while having to do very little work from your end, the offer really manages to trigger the greed in people, convincing them to make foolish mistakes. For instance, you would receive a mail from a family in Nigeria where all members are looking to defect to the United States so that they can avoid criminal prosecution in their own country. The family is apparently rich but requires your help transfer the funds and if you are willing to come to their aid, you will be rewarded with a generous share. This is a scam and if you really want to prevent this kind of online fraud, you are better off not replying at all. People who do, end up spending hundreds of dollars in ‘processing fees’ which is a requirement before getting access to alleged millions. You are never going to see that money and eventually you would be poorer by hundreds of dollars with nothing to show for it in return.
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