Scammers are getting more and more sophisticated and people are warned to keep on top of an increasing number of ways criminals are trying to steal their money.
The days of an apparently bemused Nigerian man sitting on a pile of cash they simply can’t get rid of are long gone.
Cyber criminals are now using a range of new ways to target people.
Here are six scams you need to be aware of.
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Cryptocurrency-Romance Scam
Scammers are happy to target and exploit vulnerable people looking for love.
Criminals are looking to both exploit the popularity of cryptocurrencies and vulnerable people looking for love. They pose as people looking for love online and then try to lure their victims into investing in fake cryptocurrency schemes.
Another new tactic is to pretend to be a celebrity and trick people into handing their money.
Payday loans
Scammers have been known to target people with fake payday loans, which often ask for an upfront fee. Once the fee is paid, you guessed it, there’s no loan and the scammer disappears with your cash.
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Student loan scams
The US government introduced student loan forgiveness applications last year, which, of course, led to scammers targeting applicants.
They tend to contact people via the phone or set up fake sites to steal personal information like Social Security numbers or bank account details. They often put pressure on victims with urgent messages and charge big application fees.
The government stresses application is free, and the US Department of Education will not contact anyone by phone.
Phone scams
There are a myriad of phone scams out there.
Some criminals rely on smartphones and their internet access to install malware. They may claim to be from legitimate organizations or use fear tactics to get people to share personal information to make unauthorized transactions.
Anyone who receives a call claiming to be from a big company they’ve not asked for should remain on their guard. It could be legitimate, or it could be a scam.
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Zelle Scams
Zelle is a popular online payment app which has been targeted by scammers. They send fake notifications to its users, asking them to share sensitive information or make unauthorized transactions.
One-time passwords
This scam involves bots that can intercept or generate similar one-time passwords sent out by legitimate sites, giving scammers access to personal accounts and information.
The FTC’s four signs of a scam
- Scammers PRETEND to be from an organization you know.
- Scammers say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE
- Scammers PRESSURE you to act immediately
- Scammers tell you to PAY in a specific way
