This part: action that consumers can take if they have a problem would be a last topic discussed. There are lots of information centres, websites, books and information package which anyone could easily access to gain sufficient amount of information. The most trustworthy website would definitely be the one runned by the Australian government: www.scamwatch.gov.au.
If you have been scammed and you would like to report it, there are also plenty amount of places you could visit. You can visit the place anytime you want. It’s always opened to the public and you should provide as much as information you can, regarding it. The list below is just few of the places you could go to report the scam.
1) Overseas- if you are Australian and you have been scammed from overseas, call the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on 1300 302 502. The staff will pick up between the working hours; from 8:30a.m. to 6p.m
2) Financial and investment scam- this scam involves sale offers about financial products and services such as; financial advice, insurance or credit accounts. This should be handled quickly, so report it to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on 1300 300 630.
3) Banking and credit card scams- the first thing you should do is to contact your bank and then report it to the government. You could contact both ACCC and ASIC. When you are reporting it to the bank, make sure that the number you use is from the phone book or you account statement or credit card. If your credit card is lost, contact to: 1800 869 3557.
4) Local scams- firstly, you should contact your local office of fair trading. This will quicken the search as it was a local scam. While the ACCC is the only national agency dealing with general consumer protection matters, your local office is best placed to investigate scams that appear to come from within your own state and you should report these scams using the links (the phone numbers):
-Queensland: Office of Fair Trading ph no.: 13 13 04
-New South Wales: Office of Fair Trading ph no.: 13 32 20
-Victoria: Consumer Affairs Victoria ph no.:1300 558 181
-Western Australia: Department of Consumer and Employment Protection ph no.:1300 30 40 54
-South Australia: Office of Consumer and Business Affairs ph no.: 08 8204 9777
-Tasmania: Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading ph no.: 1300 654 499
-ACT: Office of Fair Trading ph no.: 02 6207 0400
-Northern Territory: Consumer and Business Affairs ph no.: 08 8999 1999
The following list is a website where you could visit prior to reporting scam. Of course, it’s runned by the Australian government.
-www.fraud.org
-To send a mail regarding the scam, you need to contain sufficient amount of information. Therefore, if you visit this website, they will have a free copy of the complaint form which you need to complete. http://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=
-An email address you could send your complaint form would be; reportphish@wellsfargo.com
Overall, I hope you’ve earned quite a bit of information on; the definition, different types, dangers and pitfalls, the ways consumer can avoid and the actions they can take when they are willing to report the scam. Be Scam Smart!
To avoid SCAMS...
Q3) Consumers can avoid the dangers by…
Until now, the definition of scam, types of scam and the dangers of scams have been discussed. Then you should also know how to avoid them from targeting you and your money. Some of the solutions were mentioned along with the problem itself. However, let’s make it clear and summarise it.
Almost everyone will be approached by a scammer at some stage. Some scams can be exceptionally easy to spot while other scams may appear to be genuine offers. Scams even take place without you doing anything at all. The only way you will notice is when you receive a huge bill.
Majority of the scams require you to do something before they can activate. You many send some money based on the promise which turns out to be a fraud. You may even give away your personal details to the scammers. Some scams need you to agree to the deals without delay, which give you no time to get any second opinion and the advice. The following list is few important tips which you should follow to protect yourself and the money.
1) Golden rules
- If it looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. So, use your common sense.
-Always get a second opinion especially when the offer involves significant money or commitment.
-Keep in mind that there is no get-rich-quick scheme. It takes a patience, time and hard work to become wealthy.
-Do NOT agree the contract or deals straight away. Tell the person you are not interested or that you want an advice.
-If it becomes hard and confusing, contact the local office of fair trading or ACCC for further assistance.
-Do not send any money or give away your personal details to anyone.
-Check you bills and bank statements when you get it. If there is any transaction you can’t explain, report it to the bank immediately.
-Do not have personal identity number (PIN) written on the card and don’t tell anyone.
2) Finding out more facts
-Do not agree to the deals by the pressure they put on you. Always get independent advice, preferably by an accountant or a qualified person.
-Read all the terms and conditions of any offer thoroughly. There might be a trap hidden.
-Do not purchase any medical service on the net. Always seek the advice of your doctor.
-The weight loss pills might lead you to death. So do not take them.
-Search efficient amount of information on something you aren’t entirely sure of. It takes time, but it’s better than loosing your money.
3) Protecting your identity
-Never give out personal information to someone you don’t know. People that you meet online or casually may not be people you can trust. So don’t give them personal information like your phone number, the place of resident, email address or important confirming evidence as such as mother’s maiden name. This is what identifies you in the society-it’s very valuable, so take a care.
-Do not throw the old bills, records or expired cards. Destroy them completely! The thieves use all sorts of methods to build up a profile of a person. If you’re their target, they will go through your garbage bins to see if there is anything like it.
-Order a free copy of your credit report or a bank account details at least every year to ensure that no one is using your name to borrow money.
4) Sending money
-Never send money to anyone you do not know or trust.
-Any fee to claim a prize or lottery winnings should not be sent.
-Never agree to transfer money for someone else; it’s a crime.
-If you receive chain mails or take part in scheme, you will lose your money for sure.
5) Dealing with door-to-door approach
-It’s fairly hard to slam the door right front of their face. So if anyone comes to your door, always ask for their identification. Under any circumstances, do not let them in. If they don’t leave, tell them that you are going to call the police.
-Your close friends might tempt you to take part in a scam. For that reason, you should always seek for independent advice, probably from a lawyer or an accountant.
6) Telephone fraud
-If you receive a phone call from someone you do not know of, ask the name of the person you are speaking to and who they represent.
-Never give out your credit card details over the phone unless you’ve made the call and the phone number came from a confidential source.
-Do not respond to text messages or missed calls that come from numbers you don’t recognise.
-Be extremely cautious of numbers beginning with 190. These are very expensive and they charge a quiet hefty fee.
-Look out for SMS numbers that start with 19. These are also very expensive and when you read it, they press you a charge. Subsequently, the best thing you can do is to delete it.
7) Internet tips
-If you want to access and internet website, NEVER follow a link in an email received-it’s a scam. Always type the address yourself.
-Installing software that protects your computer from virus and unwanted programs can be downloaded from the internet. But you could go to an official electronic centre to install it. Two websites you could go is: www.spamfighter.com
www.NoSpamToday.com
-You should not enter your personal and credit card information on a website which you aren’t certain. They might use it to take the money.
-If you send your person, credit card or online account details through an email, you are in a trouble. Email can be sent to anyone and they can access it by hacking.
-Internet banking is fairly risky but if you have to, avoid the public computers; libraries or internet cafes.
-For the password to confirm you on the net, you should not reveal it to anyone and choose one that would be difficult for anyone else to guess. Please do not have your birthday or phone number as your password.
8) Protecting your business
-Unless you know what your personal information will be used for, don’t give out any information regarding this.
-You should always ask an offer in writing because on the phone or over net, it might be the scammers trying to get your business.
-If any goods or services were ordered and delivered, check it first before paying the cash.
-Again, if you are not sure about anything, contact the lawyer or accountant for an advanced advice.
Remember, always seek for an advice and do NOT hesitate to hang up the phones, reject the offers, delete the emails, throw away the dodgy deals and warning the government about this.
Until now, the definition of scam, types of scam and the dangers of scams have been discussed. Then you should also know how to avoid them from targeting you and your money. Some of the solutions were mentioned along with the problem itself. However, let’s make it clear and summarise it.
Almost everyone will be approached by a scammer at some stage. Some scams can be exceptionally easy to spot while other scams may appear to be genuine offers. Scams even take place without you doing anything at all. The only way you will notice is when you receive a huge bill.
Majority of the scams require you to do something before they can activate. You many send some money based on the promise which turns out to be a fraud. You may even give away your personal details to the scammers. Some scams need you to agree to the deals without delay, which give you no time to get any second opinion and the advice. The following list is few important tips which you should follow to protect yourself and the money.
1) Golden rules
- If it looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. So, use your common sense.
-Always get a second opinion especially when the offer involves significant money or commitment.
-Keep in mind that there is no get-rich-quick scheme. It takes a patience, time and hard work to become wealthy.
-Do NOT agree the contract or deals straight away. Tell the person you are not interested or that you want an advice.
-If it becomes hard and confusing, contact the local office of fair trading or ACCC for further assistance.
-Do not send any money or give away your personal details to anyone.
-Check you bills and bank statements when you get it. If there is any transaction you can’t explain, report it to the bank immediately.
-Do not have personal identity number (PIN) written on the card and don’t tell anyone.
2) Finding out more facts
-Do not agree to the deals by the pressure they put on you. Always get independent advice, preferably by an accountant or a qualified person.
-Read all the terms and conditions of any offer thoroughly. There might be a trap hidden.
-Do not purchase any medical service on the net. Always seek the advice of your doctor.
-The weight loss pills might lead you to death. So do not take them.
-Search efficient amount of information on something you aren’t entirely sure of. It takes time, but it’s better than loosing your money.
3) Protecting your identity
-Never give out personal information to someone you don’t know. People that you meet online or casually may not be people you can trust. So don’t give them personal information like your phone number, the place of resident, email address or important confirming evidence as such as mother’s maiden name. This is what identifies you in the society-it’s very valuable, so take a care.
-Do not throw the old bills, records or expired cards. Destroy them completely! The thieves use all sorts of methods to build up a profile of a person. If you’re their target, they will go through your garbage bins to see if there is anything like it.
-Order a free copy of your credit report or a bank account details at least every year to ensure that no one is using your name to borrow money.
4) Sending money
-Never send money to anyone you do not know or trust.
-Any fee to claim a prize or lottery winnings should not be sent.
-Never agree to transfer money for someone else; it’s a crime.
-If you receive chain mails or take part in scheme, you will lose your money for sure.
5) Dealing with door-to-door approach
-It’s fairly hard to slam the door right front of their face. So if anyone comes to your door, always ask for their identification. Under any circumstances, do not let them in. If they don’t leave, tell them that you are going to call the police.
-Your close friends might tempt you to take part in a scam. For that reason, you should always seek for independent advice, probably from a lawyer or an accountant.
6) Telephone fraud
-If you receive a phone call from someone you do not know of, ask the name of the person you are speaking to and who they represent.
-Never give out your credit card details over the phone unless you’ve made the call and the phone number came from a confidential source.
-Do not respond to text messages or missed calls that come from numbers you don’t recognise.
-Be extremely cautious of numbers beginning with 190. These are very expensive and they charge a quiet hefty fee.
-Look out for SMS numbers that start with 19. These are also very expensive and when you read it, they press you a charge. Subsequently, the best thing you can do is to delete it.
7) Internet tips
-If you want to access and internet website, NEVER follow a link in an email received-it’s a scam. Always type the address yourself.
-Installing software that protects your computer from virus and unwanted programs can be downloaded from the internet. But you could go to an official electronic centre to install it. Two websites you could go is: www.spamfighter.com
www.NoSpamToday.com
-You should not enter your personal and credit card information on a website which you aren’t certain. They might use it to take the money.
-If you send your person, credit card or online account details through an email, you are in a trouble. Email can be sent to anyone and they can access it by hacking.
-Internet banking is fairly risky but if you have to, avoid the public computers; libraries or internet cafes.
-For the password to confirm you on the net, you should not reveal it to anyone and choose one that would be difficult for anyone else to guess. Please do not have your birthday or phone number as your password.
8) Protecting your business
-Unless you know what your personal information will be used for, don’t give out any information regarding this.
-You should always ask an offer in writing because on the phone or over net, it might be the scammers trying to get your business.
-If any goods or services were ordered and delivered, check it first before paying the cash.
-Again, if you are not sure about anything, contact the lawyer or accountant for an advanced advice.
Remember, always seek for an advice and do NOT hesitate to hang up the phones, reject the offers, delete the emails, throw away the dodgy deals and warning the government about this.
Victim stories no.2
Alan’s bad bet on computer
prediction software
Alan received a number of phone calls to his mobile phone. The calls came from an unknown number, and the caller offered Alan a betting software package. At first Alan ignored the offers but he continued to receive calls over a number of weeks. Alan said ‘the salesman was very well spoken—in fact he claimed to be a Professor from an English university’.
The sales pitch included a claim that the program was tried and tested and that it used a very complicated system of 33 criteria for picking winning horses. The company sent out a very glossy, professional-looking brochure. The salesman also claimed that he had been very sceptical when he first heard about the program, but that his mother had won over $5 000 in the first month. He told Alan that he could win over $120 000 in a year.
Alan said ‘I was extremely sceptical and asked loads of questions, including “if it’s so good why are you selling it?” and the answer was that only 100 copies of the program exist and they only sell one when somebody dies or doesn’t want to use it anymore’.
The company also said that anybody with an ABN (Australian Business Number) could claim the program as a tax deduction and get a GST refund. Alan told the salesman that he wanted to talk to his accountant before he agreed to anything, but ‘they put a lot of pressure on me, telling me if I wanted it I had to agree on the spot, as it was a long weekend’. After Alan had asked only a few questions, the asking price dropped from $10 000 down to $2 200.
The software came with an absolute money-back guarantee if it didn’t work, Alan was told. ‘I was very reluctant, and I kept thinking “what if, what if…” but the pressure, and the guarantee, and the tax deductibility made me agree.’
Alan lost a lot of money on the software. After he called to complain, the company would never let him speak to the original salesperson again. Alan is still locked in a battle with the software company and doesn’t think he’ll ever see his money again.
source: www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/699128
prediction software
Alan received a number of phone calls to his mobile phone. The calls came from an unknown number, and the caller offered Alan a betting software package. At first Alan ignored the offers but he continued to receive calls over a number of weeks. Alan said ‘the salesman was very well spoken—in fact he claimed to be a Professor from an English university’.
The sales pitch included a claim that the program was tried and tested and that it used a very complicated system of 33 criteria for picking winning horses. The company sent out a very glossy, professional-looking brochure. The salesman also claimed that he had been very sceptical when he first heard about the program, but that his mother had won over $5 000 in the first month. He told Alan that he could win over $120 000 in a year.
Alan said ‘I was extremely sceptical and asked loads of questions, including “if it’s so good why are you selling it?” and the answer was that only 100 copies of the program exist and they only sell one when somebody dies or doesn’t want to use it anymore’.
The company also said that anybody with an ABN (Australian Business Number) could claim the program as a tax deduction and get a GST refund. Alan told the salesman that he wanted to talk to his accountant before he agreed to anything, but ‘they put a lot of pressure on me, telling me if I wanted it I had to agree on the spot, as it was a long weekend’. After Alan had asked only a few questions, the asking price dropped from $10 000 down to $2 200.
The software came with an absolute money-back guarantee if it didn’t work, Alan was told. ‘I was very reluctant, and I kept thinking “what if, what if…” but the pressure, and the guarantee, and the tax deductibility made me agree.’
Alan lost a lot of money on the software. After he called to complain, the company would never let him speak to the original salesperson again. Alan is still locked in a battle with the software company and doesn’t think he’ll ever see his money again.
source: www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/699128
Victim Stories no.1
The holiday ‘prize’ which nearly cost Nicole thousands of dollars
Nicole was on the internet one day, using her home computer. A pop-up appeared on her screen telling her that she had won a holiday to the Bahamas, but that to retrieve her prize she would have to call the number listed within 3 minutes. Nicole immediately called the number. A female voice with an American accent answered the call and told Nicole in an excited voice that she’d won the holiday.
‘The woman who answered the phone spoke very quickly and I was quite excited about the prospect of a holiday. When she asked me if I accepted the holiday, I immediately said “yes”. I was very excited and my adrenaline was right up’, Nicole explained.
The woman mentioned some figures that didn’t seem to have any connection to the holiday prize, and asked Nicole for her credit card details. It wasn’t until she asked for these details that Nicole began to suspect that she had not ‘won’ the entire holiday. After the woman had taken Nicole’s credit card details, she told Nicole that she was ‘locked in’ to buying the holiday.
Nicole panicked when she heard the term ‘locked in’ as she and her husband are both students living on Austudy. Once she realised that part of the holiday cost had been charged to her credit card, Nicole asked to withdraw but the woman on the phone refused. Eventually, Nicole spoke to a ‘manager’ who also refused to let Nicole out of the holiday.
Nicole said that by this stage ‘I was almost crying and I was very upset’. Nicole was told that if she didn’t calm down they wouldn’t help her at all. After this, the ‘manager’ said ‘well, we’ll take the amount you have to pay down from $680 to $350 (US) and you can try and sell the holiday to someone else.’
The manager also told Nicole that she had to listen to a recording of the company’s terms and conditions and confirm that she understood and agreed to them. Nicole was still upset and asked if she could wait until her husband was there before she listened or agreed to anything. However, the manager told Nicole that if she hung up the phone, she would have to pay $1,000 (US) and she would be charged double if she made a complaint. Nicole had to listen to the recorded terms and conditions. ‘I agreed to the terms and conditions even though I was too upset to understand what they were really saying.’ The company selling the holiday used high pressure tactics to force Nicole into a transaction she didn’t really understand. Nicole said that ‘it was abuse, full tilt abuse. They were so rude to me’.
After Nicole got off the phone with the holiday people, she contacted her bank and cancelled her credit card and the bank said they would do their best to get the money back.
‘My husband spent hours on the internet looking for these people and trying to contact them. Eventually we made contact and the person from the company was extremely apologetic and promised a full refund’, Nicole said. However, the next day when they contacted Nicole again, they gave her a false telephone number.Even though Nicole’s bank managed to get her money back, this scam caused Nicole and her husband a lot of hassle and worry. Find out more about scams involving unexpeted prizes, including how to protect yourself from these horrible holiday offers.
source:www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/699124
Dangers of SCAM
Some people hold strong beliefs that all companies, businesses and organisations are lawful and can be trusted, because they have been all approved by the Australian federal government or some other authority. This is absolutely rubbish. There are help available at consumer protection provided by the government and other centres. However, they can only do a little job from keeping you safe from the scam. By then, it’s too late. While they are constantly detecting the dodgy operators (scammers), majority of scams are very difficult to find and only comes to their attention when the public report it.
A related dangerous myth is that all internet websites are legal and that it takes a genius to set up a website. One thing everyone should be aware is; it’s actually quite easy and sometimes it doesn’t cost anything to set up a professional, trustworthy-looking website. A scam website can be used to offer deals, sell products or it could be made to resemble an authentic website, like a bank or credit union website. These websites exist only for few days, tops. But a problem is that it’s definitely an enough time to trick people into telling them their bank account details or any other personal information which should not be revealed.
Another mastermind belief which makes most people vulnerable and weak to scam is the idea that there are short cuts to wealth and rich that only a small number of people know. As we all know, it takes a patience, time and hard work to achieve something; especially to be rich and successful. Sadly, some foolish people haven’t come to recognise this fact and they ask themselves how to become wealthy. To them, the scam ‘get rich quick’ feels like the god has given them an opportunity to take it. By taking this chance, it puts you into a risk of loosing your life-long fortune.
The dangerous beliefs listed above are only some of the methods. On top of this, the scammers use psychological matter to receive an automatic response out of you instantly, without yourself even realising it. Some of the methods are listed as follow:
1) Reciprocation- this is when the scammers give you something which is quite valuable, ‘free’. In return. They ask very little in return; small fee to cover the freight and the insurance cost. To make their plan to work, they desperately need your agreement. To do this, the scammers may make one bizarre offer which they already know you will reject. But this is where they aim to get you. You will compare their deal with other ones out there. Once you discover that their deal was better, they strike you with a scam.
2) Commitment and consistency- this scheme can only activate with your agreement. Therefore, someone will get you to commit to something early, when you have no idea what’s happening. Later on, they recall that initial agreement to control you. To protect yourself, you should always treat each commitment separately and ask yourself whether you should accept or decline it. If you still can’t make a correct judgement, you should not hesitate to inform the government. Information on this will be revealed in a while.
3) Social proof- quite weird, the quote ‘everybody does it, so it must be right’ has been planted in the public for so long now. The scammer will refer to what the majority of the public does to bring you to agree. You should objectively first check the facts; whether it is a dodgy offer or not.
4) Scarcity- it could be said that the most fear we feel would be ‘missing out’. Being told that this is the last chance you can prove yourself or that there are only couple of the products available, leads people to agree so hurriedly before they even made an action to think about it over again. Your only protection in this case is to isolate your emotions from your decisions you are about to make.
A related dangerous myth is that all internet websites are legal and that it takes a genius to set up a website. One thing everyone should be aware is; it’s actually quite easy and sometimes it doesn’t cost anything to set up a professional, trustworthy-looking website. A scam website can be used to offer deals, sell products or it could be made to resemble an authentic website, like a bank or credit union website. These websites exist only for few days, tops. But a problem is that it’s definitely an enough time to trick people into telling them their bank account details or any other personal information which should not be revealed.
Another mastermind belief which makes most people vulnerable and weak to scam is the idea that there are short cuts to wealth and rich that only a small number of people know. As we all know, it takes a patience, time and hard work to achieve something; especially to be rich and successful. Sadly, some foolish people haven’t come to recognise this fact and they ask themselves how to become wealthy. To them, the scam ‘get rich quick’ feels like the god has given them an opportunity to take it. By taking this chance, it puts you into a risk of loosing your life-long fortune.
The dangerous beliefs listed above are only some of the methods. On top of this, the scammers use psychological matter to receive an automatic response out of you instantly, without yourself even realising it. Some of the methods are listed as follow:
1) Reciprocation- this is when the scammers give you something which is quite valuable, ‘free’. In return. They ask very little in return; small fee to cover the freight and the insurance cost. To make their plan to work, they desperately need your agreement. To do this, the scammers may make one bizarre offer which they already know you will reject. But this is where they aim to get you. You will compare their deal with other ones out there. Once you discover that their deal was better, they strike you with a scam.
2) Commitment and consistency- this scheme can only activate with your agreement. Therefore, someone will get you to commit to something early, when you have no idea what’s happening. Later on, they recall that initial agreement to control you. To protect yourself, you should always treat each commitment separately and ask yourself whether you should accept or decline it. If you still can’t make a correct judgement, you should not hesitate to inform the government. Information on this will be revealed in a while.
3) Social proof- quite weird, the quote ‘everybody does it, so it must be right’ has been planted in the public for so long now. The scammer will refer to what the majority of the public does to bring you to agree. You should objectively first check the facts; whether it is a dodgy offer or not.
4) Scarcity- it could be said that the most fear we feel would be ‘missing out’. Being told that this is the last chance you can prove yourself or that there are only couple of the products available, leads people to agree so hurriedly before they even made an action to think about it over again. Your only protection in this case is to isolate your emotions from your decisions you are about to make.
Types of SCAM
There are countless numbers of different scams around the world nowadays. With developed technology, it is straightforward for them to access anyone and drag them in to a scam. As the scams are causing a dilemma to the society, we definitely need to be aware what kinds are there, to prevent it from troubling us. Various types of scam are:
1) Banking and online account scam
This scam aim to steal your private account information and your money. It can look and sound like a real thing: where they promise to take only a set amount. But there are ways of picking up on the warning signs so that you don’t lose out. There are ways for the scammers to do this:
-They might send you a phishing e-mails or mails (fake), usually pretending to be from banks or other financial institutions. They make up some convincing reason for you to give your account details and then use those details to steal your money.
-Otherwise, they use ‘phoney fraud alerts’. This is when the scammers pretend to be from your bank and tell you that there is a problem with your account. They ask for your account details to protect your money, but then use these details to rob you.
-There are many types of scams that all aim to steal your credit card details, either by taking the card itself or by tricking you into giving them the card’s details. Once they’ve got the credit card in their hand, then it’s obvious what they’re planning to do.
-Card skimming is very hard to notice before you find out that large amount of money has been taken out of your account. It is the illegal copying of information from the black magnetic strip of a credit or ATM card. This definitely has a potential to create a fake or cloned card with YOUR details on it.
2) Mobile phone scam
Scams that come to you through your mobile phone can be difficult to recognise. They might come from somebody who talks as if they actually know you; perhaps disguising themselves as member of your family or a close friend. You might be offered free ring tones or the chance to win free tickets to a celebrity’s concert. When you reply to these messages or calls, they are most likely to press you a huge phone bill. If you have actually received these, the best action you can take would be to delete the message and ignore the call from unknown number.
-Ring tone scams are the most common and it seems to target the teenagers the most; since they are very sensitive about the latest popular songs. However, when the scammers offer ‘free’ or ‘cheap’ ring tones, it will end up being a subscription or premium rate service.
-Many people hasn’t realised that missed calls and text messages from unknown numbers can actually lead to premium rate charges. If you are foolish enough to reply them, you will be left with an enormous amount of bill.
-If you own a mobile phone, you will receive SMS competition scams every now and then. You are encouraged, almost forced, to enter a competition you haven’t even heard of, over SMS for an amazing prize- but of course, it will cost you heaps of money to take a part.
3) Health and medical scam
These scams intend to make money by exploiting those of who have a medical condition or who are worried about their health. The scammers offer them the solutions or cure which are non-existent. Like the other scams mentioned earlier before, health and medical scams has a high potential of costing you a lot of money. However, the horrible part is that they also can do significant damage to your health as well. Few kinds of this scam follows:
-Miracle cures scam has already been pointed out and it preys on the sick person by selling drugs or treatments that are disqualified or dangerous.
-Weight loss scams are false claims made to lead you into purchasing so-called ‘revolutionary’ pills, creams, diet advice or even machines which might cause adverse affect.
-Fake online pharmacies offer prohibited drugs and medicines at very cheap prices without a prescription. They can cause you major health and money problems.
4) Job and employment scam
This scam target people looking for a new job or a change of job. Aiming to target those, the scammers promise a lot of income for very little work. To convince them more, they even guarantee it. Everyone should be careful of someone who uses emails or ads posted in the street to employ people. Their only interest lies in your money. As you might be aware, there are a range of scams marketed as business opportunities opened to everyone of the public. They promise success but usually only the promoter-the scammer- makes any money. Another scam, which some people fall into; you should never transfer any money for someone else under any circumstances, especially if you do not know them. If you agree to do so, you are practically giving permission to the scammers to use your bank account. This puts you and your money to a very fragile situation where not much can be accomplished.
5) Small business scam
Scams that target small business can come in numerous numbers of forms: from bills, advertisement, directory listing which you’ve never ordered, dodgy office supply offers and false claims of government requirements needing you to send money urgently. In all business, you must have fax, especially to make it easier and efficient to carry on information. This is where the scammers take advantage of. Forged faxes offer great deals on products, entry into some competitions or huge discounts. If you ignore it, there will be no problem whatsoever. But if you reply it, the high cost would be buried in the bill or not provided at all, thus meaning that you won’t be aware of realise the reason why you have to pay such a high bill.
6) Dating and romance scam
Scammers can be thought as cowards because they pretend to be someone they aren’t and they stab you in the back without acknowledging you. Yet, these people are inventive and creative. It is absolutely amazing what ideas they design to trick you. The following scams are only some of the commonly used scams:
-Psychic scammers claim that you are in danger or predict your future ahead of you and the obstacles which will block you from your goal. Then they offer you a solution which actually sounds pretty tempting. However, since the scammers aren’t the real psychics, they seemed to prefer to stay in the safe zone; where you only reveal winning lottery numbers or a lucky charm- for a heavy fee.
-Dating and romance scam has brought lot of people into the misery and despair. The scammers exploit your romantic side through expensive dating services and then threaten you for bulky charge.
7) Lottery scam
A typical lottery scam tends to begin with an unexpected e-mail which announces that “You have won!” an enormous amount of money in a lottery and that all you have to do is just to send them little money to claim the prize. Rather than winning a desirable prize, there’s more possibility of you loosing a fortune. Therefore, you should never send any money to you do not know of and your banking details shouldn’t be told to anyone, but only to yourself.
1) Banking and online account scam
This scam aim to steal your private account information and your money. It can look and sound like a real thing: where they promise to take only a set amount. But there are ways of picking up on the warning signs so that you don’t lose out. There are ways for the scammers to do this:
-They might send you a phishing e-mails or mails (fake), usually pretending to be from banks or other financial institutions. They make up some convincing reason for you to give your account details and then use those details to steal your money.
-Otherwise, they use ‘phoney fraud alerts’. This is when the scammers pretend to be from your bank and tell you that there is a problem with your account. They ask for your account details to protect your money, but then use these details to rob you.
-There are many types of scams that all aim to steal your credit card details, either by taking the card itself or by tricking you into giving them the card’s details. Once they’ve got the credit card in their hand, then it’s obvious what they’re planning to do.
-Card skimming is very hard to notice before you find out that large amount of money has been taken out of your account. It is the illegal copying of information from the black magnetic strip of a credit or ATM card. This definitely has a potential to create a fake or cloned card with YOUR details on it.
2) Mobile phone scam
Scams that come to you through your mobile phone can be difficult to recognise. They might come from somebody who talks as if they actually know you; perhaps disguising themselves as member of your family or a close friend. You might be offered free ring tones or the chance to win free tickets to a celebrity’s concert. When you reply to these messages or calls, they are most likely to press you a huge phone bill. If you have actually received these, the best action you can take would be to delete the message and ignore the call from unknown number.
-Ring tone scams are the most common and it seems to target the teenagers the most; since they are very sensitive about the latest popular songs. However, when the scammers offer ‘free’ or ‘cheap’ ring tones, it will end up being a subscription or premium rate service.
-Many people hasn’t realised that missed calls and text messages from unknown numbers can actually lead to premium rate charges. If you are foolish enough to reply them, you will be left with an enormous amount of bill.
-If you own a mobile phone, you will receive SMS competition scams every now and then. You are encouraged, almost forced, to enter a competition you haven’t even heard of, over SMS for an amazing prize- but of course, it will cost you heaps of money to take a part.
3) Health and medical scam
These scams intend to make money by exploiting those of who have a medical condition or who are worried about their health. The scammers offer them the solutions or cure which are non-existent. Like the other scams mentioned earlier before, health and medical scams has a high potential of costing you a lot of money. However, the horrible part is that they also can do significant damage to your health as well. Few kinds of this scam follows:
-Miracle cures scam has already been pointed out and it preys on the sick person by selling drugs or treatments that are disqualified or dangerous.
-Weight loss scams are false claims made to lead you into purchasing so-called ‘revolutionary’ pills, creams, diet advice or even machines which might cause adverse affect.
-Fake online pharmacies offer prohibited drugs and medicines at very cheap prices without a prescription. They can cause you major health and money problems.
4) Job and employment scam
This scam target people looking for a new job or a change of job. Aiming to target those, the scammers promise a lot of income for very little work. To convince them more, they even guarantee it. Everyone should be careful of someone who uses emails or ads posted in the street to employ people. Their only interest lies in your money. As you might be aware, there are a range of scams marketed as business opportunities opened to everyone of the public. They promise success but usually only the promoter-the scammer- makes any money. Another scam, which some people fall into; you should never transfer any money for someone else under any circumstances, especially if you do not know them. If you agree to do so, you are practically giving permission to the scammers to use your bank account. This puts you and your money to a very fragile situation where not much can be accomplished.
5) Small business scam
Scams that target small business can come in numerous numbers of forms: from bills, advertisement, directory listing which you’ve never ordered, dodgy office supply offers and false claims of government requirements needing you to send money urgently. In all business, you must have fax, especially to make it easier and efficient to carry on information. This is where the scammers take advantage of. Forged faxes offer great deals on products, entry into some competitions or huge discounts. If you ignore it, there will be no problem whatsoever. But if you reply it, the high cost would be buried in the bill or not provided at all, thus meaning that you won’t be aware of realise the reason why you have to pay such a high bill.
6) Dating and romance scam
Scammers can be thought as cowards because they pretend to be someone they aren’t and they stab you in the back without acknowledging you. Yet, these people are inventive and creative. It is absolutely amazing what ideas they design to trick you. The following scams are only some of the commonly used scams:
-Psychic scammers claim that you are in danger or predict your future ahead of you and the obstacles which will block you from your goal. Then they offer you a solution which actually sounds pretty tempting. However, since the scammers aren’t the real psychics, they seemed to prefer to stay in the safe zone; where you only reveal winning lottery numbers or a lucky charm- for a heavy fee.
-Dating and romance scam has brought lot of people into the misery and despair. The scammers exploit your romantic side through expensive dating services and then threaten you for bulky charge.
7) Lottery scam
A typical lottery scam tends to begin with an unexpected e-mail which announces that “You have won!” an enormous amount of money in a lottery and that all you have to do is just to send them little money to claim the prize. Rather than winning a desirable prize, there’s more possibility of you loosing a fortune. Therefore, you should never send any money to you do not know of and your banking details shouldn’t be told to anyone, but only to yourself.
To identify SCAM
To see whether it is in fact a scam, you could firstly seek for words or phrases they’ve used. Some of the favourable collections used by scammers are;
1) Get rich quick
This phrase most tempts the community as we all know that it is very hard and takes long to get rich. Therefore, people thirst for the opportunity to become one. To them, this quote is like an oasis which will solve all of their financial difficulties.
2) Miracle cures
This phrase isn’t as popular now as it was back in 90’s, when they lacked in medical service. However, as the economy developed, the progress in medical studies also has been progressed exceptionally well, to an exceeding high standard.
3) Your dreams can come true
Everyone has some kind of dream they wish for. For most of their vision, they need some amount of money to support it. For example, parents need money to maintain their households, education for children and the necessity of life: food, shelter, clothing and education. Another example would be teenagers. Teenage years are the period especially when you want to have everything. Such thing might be; accessory, mobile phone, music devices (ipod, mp3), games and other items.
4) Claim your fabulous prize for a small fee
Wouldn’t it be utterly astonishing to win a fabulous prize just for a minuscule quantity of money? Now, this is the part where the members of the public fall for. Firstly, why would the scammers, whom are total strangers, offer you a magnificent prize for just, say about ten dollars? This is entirely an obvious swindle. They WILL take more value of money out of you somehow, on top of what they’ve asked; in this case, ten dollars. They won’t hesitate to take any actions to earn them the cash.
1) Get rich quick
This phrase most tempts the community as we all know that it is very hard and takes long to get rich. Therefore, people thirst for the opportunity to become one. To them, this quote is like an oasis which will solve all of their financial difficulties.
2) Miracle cures
This phrase isn’t as popular now as it was back in 90’s, when they lacked in medical service. However, as the economy developed, the progress in medical studies also has been progressed exceptionally well, to an exceeding high standard.
3) Your dreams can come true
Everyone has some kind of dream they wish for. For most of their vision, they need some amount of money to support it. For example, parents need money to maintain their households, education for children and the necessity of life: food, shelter, clothing and education. Another example would be teenagers. Teenage years are the period especially when you want to have everything. Such thing might be; accessory, mobile phone, music devices (ipod, mp3), games and other items.
4) Claim your fabulous prize for a small fee
Wouldn’t it be utterly astonishing to win a fabulous prize just for a minuscule quantity of money? Now, this is the part where the members of the public fall for. Firstly, why would the scammers, whom are total strangers, offer you a magnificent prize for just, say about ten dollars? This is entirely an obvious swindle. They WILL take more value of money out of you somehow, on top of what they’ve asked; in this case, ten dollars. They won’t hesitate to take any actions to earn them the cash.
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