With the increasing reliance on the internet for day-to-day activities and transactions, it is no wonder that the presence of scammers has become prevalent and fraud widespread. There are many unsuspecting and trusting users who fall victim to such violators and abusers. What may seem like a secure and safe transaction might actually turn out to be fraud, causing losses for individuals or companies alike. So how do we arm ourselves against this? Knowledge! Here are the three top types of fraud, and Bayt.com’s recommendations on how to avoid them.
1. Advance Fee Fraud
We’ve all seen this one. It usually comes by email, and is a request for some upfront money, with the promise of an even bigger return. It could be anything, from supposed businessmen promising to invest your money to product and service offers, which you will probably never see. Some may ask for your bank account information, or ask you to input your credit card information, others may send you their account details, and ask you to transfer the money into it. The best way to avoid these scams is to just ignore them. Be aware that there are people continuously trying to solicit money from unknowing victims online, and that by just ignoring them, and spreading the knowledge, you are protecting yourself and those around you. Most importantly, never share your credit card or bank information with anyone, unless you are on a secure and legitimate website, by keeping an eye for the ‘s’ at the end of ‘https’, which signifies that a website is secure.
2. Email Spammers
This is a very common type of online fraud, and more often than not, the goal is personal information and identity theft. Bulk emails are sent out to thousands of random email addresses in an attempt to introduce a bug to the system that will pull personal information, addresses, passwords and any other valuable information that could be stored on the system. These usually come in form of a link, which if clicked on, will introduce the virus that will then steal the information. The spammers bait the users by advertising appealing offers, such as deals on products or contest prizes. Avoiding these is a little tricky, but not impossible. Always be very cautious of emails you receive with links, even those from your contacts. . If it appears to be an offer from a legitimate company, then visit the company website itself to read about the offer, rather than clicking on the link. You could also do a quick internet search for the contact, the title line, the offer or for the URL itself, because chances are, if it is a scam, you will find reports about it.
3. Fake Jobs
Every once in a while, you will come across a fake job post. These could look like regular job offers, part time or work from home jobs with a huge pay out, or recruiters asking you to pay a fee to secure the job they found you. These usually aim to collect payment or personal and credit card information. A basic rule of thumb is: any job offer that requires an advance payment, if most likely fake. To avoid these, always verify who you are interacting with, and make sure they are legitimate; a quick google search could go a long way in protecting you. Make sure you never provide any non-work-related personal information online or over the phone when applying for a job. An employer shouldn’t need your national ID number, eye color, credit card information or other non-related information to review your application.