Online scams are evolving with each passing day. The FBI has recorded $3.5 billion in losses due to internet scams in 2019, and the number has only increased since then. Nowadays, con artists worldwide are looking for ways to target your computer or mobile devices.
I learned about the top scams happening out there through TheClaimers; if you’re interested, read below!
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams involve you getting an email from a website that seems familiar and seems like a legit one, such as your university, the company you usually buy from, your university, and more. The message you get redirects you to another website to verify all your personal information, including your email address, passwords, and bank information, and then ends up stealing all your information and exposing your computer to attacks that scammers make.
Phishing scams are the most common attacks on users. It has been reported by the FBI that more than 114,700 people fell victim to phishing scams in the year 2019. All of them together lost $57.8 million or $500 each. Moreover, according to the Federal Trade Commission, phishing scams normally tell people stories in order to trick them into clicking a link or opening up an attachment. For instance, your message might say that they have noticed some unusual activity on your account or that there is an issue with the payment information on your account. At times they will say that they need to update your personal information, might include a fake invoice, or ask you to make a payment.
You need to remember to never link on such links in emails if you are not 100% sure if the source is legit or not. Doing this will only harm you by giving your personal information away and making you vulnerable to a virus. Most of the time, the sender is going to seem like a reliable one, but that is exactly the point.
Fake Shopping Websites and Form Jacking Scams
There are loads of fake websites that claim to offer amazing deals from well-known brands out there. These websites have URLs similar to the brands they are copying, for example, Ebey.com. If you purchase something from such websites, you will receive a counterfeit item in the mail or, at times, nothing.
Formjacking is also a very common retail scam involving a legitimate retail website being hacked and the shoppers being redirected to a fake payment page where the scammer will receive all your personal and credit card information. In order to avoid this scam, make sure to double the URL of the payment page. Criminals will always slightly change the URL so that you do not notice it, so make sure to be careful regarding this.
Tech Support Scam
This scam involves you receiving a phone call, an email, or even a pop-up warning saying that your computer is infected. It will persuade you to download an app that allows the scammer to control your computer. Moreover, the person might even tell you to pay a fee, and only then will you get rid of the virus.
Most of the time, these scammers are going to ask people to make the payment through a gift card, money transfer app, or bank wire. If you give the scammer remote access to your computer, make sure to update your security software and run a scan. Delete anything that it scans says is an issue. Moreover, change your username and password right away.
Fake Government Representative
These scams are common, and TheClaimers has helped many people out there who were victims of such scams. This involves someone acting like a government representative and calling you to confirm your personal information. The person might make up fake charges against you and say you are in trouble. The person will, at times, ask for a fee so that they withdraw the charges.
Dating Scams
Dating scams are really common as well. These scams involve you meeting someone online on a dating app; however, little did you know that the profile of the person is completely fake. The person is at first going to try to win your trust. Next, he will get close to you and say he has fallen in love with you. He is also going to try his best to gain sympathy. Once that is done, the person will ask you for money, saying he needs money to meet you or that he lost his job and needs to buy groceries.
Once the person is successful in looting you, you will be blocked from his/her account. If you feel like you were scammed this way, you can get in touch with TheClaimers, and the company will help you get your money back.