The internet is rife with scams, fraudsters, and thieves. It’s important to learn how to protect yourself from these people.
The how to get a scammer in trouble is a guide that tells you how to avoid being the victim of fraud or a scam. It also tells you what to do if you have been scammed.
Daniel Rich contributed to this article.
Unsolicited phone calls are a frequent source of fraud. The caller will most likely offer you estimates for auto, house, life, or burial insurance. I did some research and discovered that these prices are all more than what I am presently paying.
Some callers may inform you that you have won a free or low-cost holiday trip, with numerous of destinations to choose from. These are blatant con jobs, and they’re much more so now that COVID-19 travel limitations have been implemented.
Other calls may claim you have won a free medical alert system or a free home security system. They will not inform you, however, that there is a monthly service fee.
We’re going to get through this together, Atascadero
You may get a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, telling you that you owe taxes and that if you don’t pay right away with gift cards, they’ll call the cops. The IRS does not do business over the phone, and they will not scare you with legal action if you do.
A caller may tell you that the government will offer you a grant of $40,000 since you are a dependable taxpayer. All you have to do is send in a total of $200 in gift cards! Of course, it’s all a hoax!
You may be informed that the caller is investigating bank fraud and would be paid a big amount of money, but that you must pay money to demonstrate your good faith. Don’t be fooled by that rubbish.
Another fraud is offers to sell you an extended warranty for your car. Consumer experts advise against buying extended warranties, particularly for automobiles.
Someone pretending to be a computer specialist will tell you that your computer has problems. Typically, they will ask you to download a link that will provide you with information.
They have complete control of your computer. They may then infect you with malware or a virus. Never give someone you don’t know access to your computer. It’s always a lie when they claim to have found problems on your PC. Don’t get taken in by it.
When a caller pretends to be a relative, typically a grandchild, who is in prison and needs to be bailed out, this is a cunning effort to deceive. Regrettably, these phony calls may be very convincing.
Another scam is a caller saying that you have failed to report for jury duty and that you will be arrested if you do not give gift cards. Obviously, this is a hoax!
Phishing is one of the most frequent types of email frauds. The sender pretends to be from a business such as Apple or Amazon and wants current identifying information, threatening to cancel your account if you do not comply. In this kind of email, never click on any links. Also, make sure the return email address is correct. It will not be an exact match for the real address.
Banks and businesses like Apple will not ask for this information.
Verification of account details by email However, keep in mind that you may always contact the company’s customer care agent.
Never give out sensitive information like your Social Security number, driver’s license number, or passport number. Also, never give out personal financial information like account or routing numbers to anybody.
You may get an email from the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, or a Nigerian bank offering you millions of dollars. In exchange, they want an advance payment charge, which may range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Any solicitation for payment is a false red flag.
The claim that you have won a lottery, such as a BMW lottery, is another fraud. Furthermore, they may claim that your email address was chosen even though you did not enter a lottery.
They usually want tens of thousands of dollars in advance payment costs. These lottery claims are all false. You cannot win a lottery that you did not enter, and you must be a resident of that nation to enter their lottery.
Also fake is the lottery winner scam, in which someone pretends to have won the lottery and wants to share their good fortune with you.
Then there’s the sick patient who wants to share their fortune with you before they pass away. These emails are, of course, always fake.
Some fraudsters, particularly those posing as government officials, may be violent and threatening. If you do not provide sensitive information, such as your Social Security number, they may threaten you with prison. Do not be intimidated by them. Furthermore, never transfer money to them via gift cards – this is never legal.
Remember that if anything seems to be too good to be true, it most often is!
Daniel Rich is an independent writer, former therapist, and veteran who served in the Signal Corps of the US Occupation Forces in Germany during WWII. [email protected] is the email address for him.
As an example:
As if Loading…
Related
The how to avoid being scammed when shopping online is a guide that will teach you how to avoid getting scammed.
Related Tags
- how to avoid being scammed online
- how to prevent frauds in business
- what to do when scammed out of money
- how to prevent frauds in banks
- how to recover from being scammed
