Harmful Internet Scams

Many of you know about these scams, but still, many people are taken every day. There are hundreds of scams on the Internet. If they did not work they would dry up fast, but the fact is, they do. Here are five classic viral scams that have tricked many people over the years:



SCAM #1: A wealthy Nigerian needs your help to move millions of dollars from accounts out of his country. In return for your help, you will receive a percentage of the money. You send your bank account info, and at some point a small problem will arise and the Nigerian will need you to send a few thousand dollars to fix the problem. You would think that anyone would know that this is a scam, but the potential to get millions moved into your bank account is a very tempting to some people. There are many variations of this scam, originating from other locales. The one thing they all have in common is that the money will be moving out of your account, not in.



SCAM #2: A friend is stranded overseas and needs you to send them money. This is more targeted to people with a large number of close friends and is much easier to check for legitimacy. Still, if a hacker compromises an email or Facebook account, he/she can then access the address books and friend lists. Inbox messages appear as a desperate plea from your “friend” claiming they are traveling overseas, have been mugged on a deserted island and lost everything. They plead with you to send money immediately. Come to find out, your real friend is safe and sound. This hoax is especially tricky because it looks like it came from someone you know, not a stranger. These could arguably be the worst scams because they are coming from a known sender. Call your friend. If you cannot get through, call someone else who would know where they are. Last resort, email them back and ask for some information that only they would know. Never blindly send money.



SCAM #3: Online rental properties are another target for scammers. Con artists use real listings, changing the contact information. When they ask the victim for the deposit check, the scammer will say that they are out of the country on business or doing volunteer work, so the money needs to be sent overseas. Once discovered, it is very difficult to track down the scammer or your money. This one is becoming more and more active every day.



SCAM #4: Online dating scams are particularly cruel. Con artists use the sites to look for victims. If they do everything right, the victim becomes love struck. Cons take their time, reeling in the victim over weeks or months. Then comes the request; money for a small emergency or so they can travel to meet you. After the victim sends the money suddenly another emergency arises and this will keep going as long as the victim will send more money. People have lost everything to this con, so be careful. Victims can lose not only their money, but their hearts as well.



SCAM #5: You receive an email or a phone message from a bank that says your PIN or other information has been compromised or needs to be updated. You are supposed to respond, giving them certain information. Never do this! The senders are phishing for information which they will then use to try to steal your identity and money. Banks do not send messages asking for information. If you have any questions, contact your bank directly. This con is used to get your other passwords as well. As a rule, if asked for any information via email, NEVER reply or use the links contained in said email. Either call or use a known safe email address.

The bottom line is, if in doubt, check it out. There are many legitimate sites on the internet that you can contact. I would start with your antivirus protection provider. If you have questions and do not know where to turn, please ask me at mike@pmcreation.us and I will do my best to help.