Scammers are good at what they do for a reason. They craft stories that seem genuine and make you fall for them with their expertise in deception. Taking advantage of new technology, services/ products or major events to trick you into giving up your money or personal information, scammers are expanding their roots throughout the digital landscape.
Internet fraud is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Don’t succumb to every great deal you encounter while surfing the internet. Whether you are buying a product from some brand or looking for platforms with welcome casino bonuses in Canada, it is always important to pause for a moment, think, and verify if the sources are legal and certified before making a decision.
Certainly, it is not in question to stop using the internet altogether, but we want to ensure that you will not fall for the treacherous tricks of scammers. Here are a few basic internet scams and tips to avoid them and stay safe online:
Social Media Scams
With the widespread use of social media platforms, there has also been an increase in social media scams that present themselves in more ways than one. Usually, scammers rely on quizzes or prizes to draw the public’s attention.
For instance, you may find a quiz to find your personality type, MBTI, or celebrity that you resemble or a roulette with attractive prizes. The basic modus operandi behind each of these is that you must share them with your social network to reveal the final answer or get the prize.
Such activities can access a lot of valuable information about your profile, IP address, friends list and so on. This leads to identity theft that may be used against you for several malicious purposes.
How to Avoid Social Media Scams?
- The simple way to avoid these scams is to steer clear of any type of quizzes or pop-up notifications, or posts that contain attractive header tags.
- Anti-malware experts also advise you to prevent clicking on any links or attachments that may be forwarded to you from unknown resources.
- If you encounter short URLs that hide full information about the redirecting website, stay cautious with them.
Lotto Scams
Back in 2020, lotto scams were the fourth most common type of online scam in The US. These scams usually entail an email or message claiming that you have won a lottery (even if you haven’t ever bought a lottery ticket) with a large payout.
However, to claim that amount, you must pay a specific fee beforehand for insurance, taxes, bank fees, or other courier charges. And the cherry on top, they also demand your personal information to verify your identity. Such lotto scams put you in the face of money theft and identity theft.
One type of lottery scam can also be through a shady casino or other gambling sites claiming extravagant bonuses on first debits or gameplays.
How to Avoid Social Media Scams?
- Avoiding lottery scams from emails is relatively easy since, most of the time, they have some clear warning signs like: Emails are usually from an individual rather than a company, or you are not the sole recipient of the email and your oblivion to the lottery in question, etc.
- To avoid scams through gambling sites, you can ignore them completely. Or, if you are interested, ensure that the websites presenting bonuses are legal and have all the required certifications that point to their authenticity. For reference, you can check the highly sought-after Echeck casino online to compare the genuineness.
Online Shopping Scams
Shopping online is prevalent in this age, and therefore are shopping scams. It is usually easier to scam people off the shopping platforms than the other type of fraud. Scammers utilize the technology to create fake stores and websites that appear no different than genuine ones. However, such websites often have stolen logos or duplicate designs to sell the items of popular shopping brands at rather low prices.
Although it is common to lose contact after payment if you are lucky enough, you may receive your product, but it is highly probable that it’ll be a counterfeit.
How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams?
To avoid falling victim to online shopping scams, stay cautious of the unbelievably low prices of advertised products. Known brands don’t sell their products at low prices unless for a sale or other event.
The payment options can also be a sign of authenticity for a brand. If the seller demands immediate bank transfers or e-transfers, you might want to give it a red flag.
Conclusion
The digital market has made access to several aspects easier, but dark things also lurk in the shadows to seek an opportunity and lay their fangs upon you. You must stay cautious while weaving your path along the expansive digital world to not fall prey to such heinous acts.