With the number of scams or frauds emerging with each passing day, it is becoming quite difficult to identify each and avoid the harm. While a few, mostly the old ones, have been exposed by the cyber police, there are many scams that still go unnoticed as fraudsters are inventing new ways each day to make a quick buck are everywhere. Cybercriminals employ a variety of tactics to trick individuals.
Job scams, charity scams, and fitness scams are just a few examples of the schemes being used to obtain sensitive information, such as personal details and financial data. These scams can be carried out through emails, social media, fake websites, or phone calls or even an SMS, making it difficult for individuals to protect their sensitive information.
It’s important to stay vigilant and be cautious when presented with any offer that seems too good to be true or requires you to provide personal information.
To help you, here, we have listed some frauds that you need to watch out for this year:
Phishing scams
Phishing scams range from spam emails to sophisticated impersonation of legitimate websites, targeting individuals and businesses to obtain sensitive information, including usernames, passwords, and social security numbers. Anyone can fall victim to phishing attempts, which can cause significant harm.
Phishing scammers often employ deceptive tactics, such as using well-crafted messages that appear genuine, to trick individuals into divulging confidential information or filling in personal details on a bogus website they have created.
To illustrate, an attacker engaging in phishing might send you an email masquerading as a credit card company, then lead you to a counterfeit site that closely resembles the authentic one. Once you furnish your credit card information, they can exploit that data to withdraw funds from your bank account.
Cryptocurrency scams
Scammers are increasingly attracted to cryptocurrency trading because it is anonymous and irreversible, meaning that once a transaction is made, it cannot be reversed. They use various tactics to convince people to invest their money in fake cryptocurrency platforms, such as charging an upfront fee or creating false endorsements from celebrities.
A common tactic used by scammers in the cryptocurrency industry is investment fraud, which typically involves receiving an unsolicited message via email, text, or phone call that encourages you to invest in a fake crypto project or download a fraudulent application. These scammers lure investors in with promises of high returns.
Employment scams
The tech industry has been experiencing significant layoffs since 2022, and coupled with rising inflation, many people are actively seeking better job prospects. This has created a prime opportunity for scammers to take advantage of the situation.
A recent report by ZeroFox Intelligence revealed that job scams increased by 30 per cent during the last two quarters of 2022. With the help of AI tools like Chat GPT and Jasper, it has become easier for scammers to create realistic job postings that appear genuine. As a result, experts predict that employment scams will continue to rise in 2023.
Email job offers and postings on reputable job sites like LinkedIn can be used to perpetrate scams. In these instances, unsuspecting job seekers may receive offers from eager employers for a position they never applied for. The job may appear to be well-paying.
Scammers can create fake company websites and employment paperwork, as well as fabricate bank account information and employment forms, to obtain sensitive information. They often post their fake job openings on multiple legitimate job-seeking websites to increase their reach.
Charitable donation scams
Scammers can resort to exploiting your empathy to get their hands on your money. They may use charity scams, which can be as simple as one-person operations or as complex as schemes run by registered non-profits. In either case, the money you donate doesn’t actually help any cause but goes directly to the fraudster.
These scams can take the form of phishing, where a website or email appears to be from a legitimate organisation.
Fitness and weight loss scams
Scammers exploit people’s desire to achieve quick fitness results without putting in too much effort. They use phishing tactics by setting up fake websites posing as legitimate ones that advertise fitness programs. They may also try to convince you to sign up for a low-priced gym membership or fitness product, promising unrealistic results in a short period, but asking for personal and financial information in return.
It’s essential to exercise caution when something appears too cheap or too good to be true. Don’t provide any personal or financial information unless you have thoroughly researched the company and confirmed that it’s legitimate.
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