Do you want to avoid losing your money to online fraudsters?
Over the years there have been a series of online scams and so many people have fallen victims. And every year, scammers up their antics and make these schemes even more believable than the last.
There is no general formula to identify scams but knowing what to avoid is a great way to protect yourself from online scams.
What online scams should you watch out for this year?
Google voice scam
Google Voice scam involves using your voice to carry out online transactions that you do not approve of. If you’re an online marketer, then you’re very likely to be a target.
‘Clients’ may call you claiming to be interested in your products and services. Some of them go as far as requesting vocal proof that you’re real and not a bot. Usually, it involves reading a verification code.
Your vocal message is recorded and used to create a google voice account that can be used without your knowledge.
Do not share your verification code with anyone. No legitimate website or company will ask you to share your verification code either by text or by voice.
Fake invoice and CEO fraud
Here, scammers send out emails that are coined to look like company mails. The email address may be very similar to the company email or one of the executives in the company.
These mails are usually sent alongside fake invoices to authorize transactions.
Beware of hasty transfer authorizations, especially to strange accounts. It’s best to reconfirm an email before transferring money.
Fake job scams
Scammers often draw individuals’ data like names, emails, or mobile numbers from job hunting sites like Indeed and much more. This data is used to contact job seekers, sometimes to get more information about them, and other times to extort in the form of fees or home office setup.
Beware and confirm every job offer you receive by doing proper research before giving out information or making any payments.
Charity email scam
Charity email scams play on the emotions of people to get them to release money for ‘charity.’
These emails usually capitalize on events like natural disasters, wars, storms, disease outbreaks, and other tragic occurrences to extort money from people under the guise of helping people affected by the events.
It’s best to make donations through trusted sites or not at all if you’re not sure.
Rental assistance scams
If you’re looking to rent a new apartment or business place, you have to be mindful of rental assistance scams.
These people impersonate government workers or even private rental agents either as a means to get more information about people or to get money from them in the form of rental service charges.
It is best to seek rental assistance through legitimate industries and only use trusted websites if you must do it online.
Hackers
Hackers are becoming more popular and they can get into people’s computers and phones without their permission. A hacker could authorize transactions or get access to your personal information without your knowledge.
The first line of defense is by having adequate security measures to keep hackers and cyber criminals out of your computer. Protect yourself today.
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