Online links or messages about fabulous earnings, big discounts on expensive goods, winnings, inheritance, etc. – these are almost always variants of fraud. This is how dishonest people profit from our trust.
To become a victim of scammers, you do not have to visit dubious sites. Fraudsters will find you themselves through social networks, email or even instant messengers on your smartphone.
As soon as you respond to a tempting offer, you immediately come under pressure from attackers. They will start rushing you, forcing you to act rashly. They lost their heads, were led by emotions - they suffered from criminal actions.
What types of fraud exist, and how to avoid being deceived by scammers?
What are scammers interested in?
Both in real life and in the online space, scammers play on human trust. Their goal is to obtain your money or confidential information.
In the first case, they may offer online casino or Forex games, non-existent goods or services, etc. In the second, criminals need data from documents, bank and electronic accounts.
After receiving the necessary information, they transfer other people's money to themselves through complex chains that are difficult to track. Therefore, it is not easy to catch scammers.
What most often interests cybercriminals:
- phone number;
- address of place of registration;
- passport – its photocopy or just information;
- Date of Birth;
- E-mail address;
- passwords from social networks.
Forex scam
Forex fraud is usually common among people who want to earn “easy money” as quickly as possible. Brokers lure potential clients, promise them fabulous mountains and quick money, which they guarantee and arrange them in fly-by-night companies. As a rule, the trick in this regard is that brokers simply appropriate all the earnings for themselves and deceive their clients.
You can make money on Forex only if you approach this business head-on and very carefully so as not to fall for yet another fraudulent broker. Excessive vigilance in this regard will not hurt.
How scammers cheat offline - scam schemes
No one is safe from the actions of criminals. If you laugh at Nigerian letters, this does not mean that you will not fall into the trap of scammers in reality. Fraudsters operate in all spheres of life, not even disdaining the money of pensioners. The most common examples of fraudulent schemes are given below.
Pedestrian hit
The driver reverses or drives slowly through the yard. Suddenly a man falls in front of his car. Jumping out of the car, its owner sees a lying but alive pedestrian. The latter accuses the motorist of hitting him and states that he will file a statement with the police.
At this time, a witness to the incident “by chance” is nearby and films the event on his phone. Together with the victim, he proposes to resolve the conflict peacefully. Monetary compensation will help them forget about what happened, saving the driver from problems with the police.
What to do: A video recorder in your car will save you from such problems. If it is not there, then look for recordings from nearby cameras (at entrances, shops). If you are not guilty, then insist on calling the police yourself. As a rule, after this the scammers disappear.
Car sharing - a new deception - video
Friend in need
An acquaintance posted a message on his social network page that he had an accident. Mom dies, a close relative gets into an accident, etc. He urgently needs financial help - the bank card number is attached.
The post is sent to everyone who is his friend. However, the profile owner will be one of the last to know about this - his account has been hacked.
Another option: You receive an SMS message or receive a phone call. The scammer reports that a friend needs help - he is in custody (he ran over a drunk, exceeded self-defense), so he himself cannot get in touch.
The most advanced attackers call using programs that replace the numbers in the displayed number. So you see that a person from the phone book is calling you and does not arouse suspicion. In fact, your friend’s personal information has become known to scammers.
What to do: Before providing financial support, check any information personally, through close people.
Costumed gas workers
Scammers seek to enter your home as gas service workers, under the guise of checking ventilation, water meters, etc. After checking the equipment and communications, there will definitely be some kind of malfunction that requires the installation of an expensive device. This could be some kind of gas analyzer that reacts to flammable substances.
Under pressure from imaginary gas workers, who are frightened by the possibility of an explosion, the apartment owner agrees to purchase and install the device. Only later is its uselessness discovered.
What to do: When utility workers appear at the door, call the management office and ask whether these workers are currently checking your house.
Bank card blocking
You receive an SMS stating that your bank card is blocked. To unlock it, you need to call the phone number indicated in the message.
They can charge a considerable amount for a call. Or a “bank” employee will pick up the phone and need to confirm the card number, including the secret CVC number, as well as the code received in the SMS message.
Fraudsters can also use programs that imitate your bank numbers.
What to do: Remember that not a single bank employee will be interested in the details of your card issued by his own institution. When you receive such an SMS, you should call your bank - the number is indicated on the back of the card.
Telephone scammers
Once you get onto the Internet (through an ad or another way), your phone number can become the property of attackers. A telephone database of valid numbers can also be purchased from unscrupulous SIM card sellers who know your name and address. There are several options below:
- A call from “your bank operator” with a message that a loan has been issued in your name. The operator transfers the call to a “bank security officer.” Another, more respectable voice asks to check the card details - its number, expiration date and CVC.
- If you manage to resist the previous point without providing your card details, they may threaten to block the card or scare you with a loan hanging on it. Allegedly, this loan was taken out by unscrupulous bank employees. But it can be “cancelled” by following the instructions of the scammers.
Next, you are directed to obtain a bank loan, which must be immediately transferred to the caller - this will cancel the loan on the card.
No matter how the script of the drama with the participation of several actors develops, the ending is the same: deprivation of funds on the card.
What to do: Ignore any questions in incoming calls regarding your bank card. If they call you, answer: “I’ll call the bank now and find out for myself.” The scammers won't even call you back.
Tea shenanigans
Street promoters persistently ask to participate in tea tasting. After you try the drink, you are asked to buy a pack of it.
Signs of aggressive selling are the expressions “today only”, “big discount”, “limited quantity”. You can also be bribed by “reduced price”, “you are a nice person”, etc.
The seller is trying to put pressure: he often touches you, constantly calls you by name, tries to arouse pity (he will be fined if he does not sell anything). You only realize at home that you spent about 2 thousand rubles on a pack of tea.
Beauty salons operate according to the same scheme, inviting those who wish to undergo free procedures. Often they take out a loan for unnecessary cosmetics worth 60–80 thousand.
What to do: Demonstration or tasting of a product is designed to aggressively sell it. And if you decide to attend such an event, leave your money and documents at home.
Money or fine
You parked your car in violation of traffic rules. Upon your return, you find a note under the wiper demanding the transfer of 500 rubles. to the e-wallet number. Otherwise, photos of your violation of the rules will end up in the traffic police, where they will impose a fine of 5,000 rubles.
What to do: If you can’t park in accordance with the rules, then you should put up with fines. There is no need to pay petty scammers - they do not guarantee that they will not send the pictures to the relevant authorities.
Non-existent stores and goods
Shopping through the global web has become as commonplace as going to a regular store. It’s convenient, everything is in front of your eyes and you don’t have to spend hours traveling. But it is also convenient for those who are preparing to steal your honestly earned money. Full-fledged fake stores are being created. Sometimes this method is combined with phishing. When you pay, you are not only charged for an item you will not receive, but your card details are also stored.
Such sites do not last long, so the owners have the task of “selling” as quickly as possible. To achieve this, the price is significantly reduced. If you find yourself on a page where absolutely everything is cheaper than market prices, this is a serious wake-up call. Even if it is covered up with a beautiful legend, for example, about customs confiscation. Other calls:
- Completely new site;
- No reviews online;
- Not represented on Yandex.Market or other aggregators;
- Uses only anonymous EPS;
- False legal name and address;
Creation time can be easily checked using Whois. Reviews are searched through Yandex or Google search engines. Be sure to look at the date they were left, as professional deceivers can buy a bunch of rave reviews. The date they will be added will be very close to the date you are looking for.
Absence on Yandex.Market or other aggregators is a very clear indicator. For real sites, they are the main source of sales. But the fake ones would not be able to pass the verification, since they use a fictitious company and are not ready to reveal their personal data. To do this, they use only anonymous means of payment. Sometimes even verified, but using fake data bought on the black market.
Be sure to research which payment gateway you are processing your transaction through. This must be a specialized website with an SSL certificate that is available for verification. If you are asked to enter a credit card in an incomprehensible form that is not protected by any technology and is not associated with large payment gateways, then it is better to abandon the idea of using the card. And even better, stop buying anything in this store. Since decent and large platforms always cooperate only with large and verified payment services.
How to recognize scammers on the Internet
There are many ways of deception in the open network space, which involves interaction with the fraudster in one form or another, ending with entering your bank card information. You may be asked to take part in a competition or survey, help a friend/acquaintance or a sick child, or take a test to determine the security of your data - there are many schemes invented by attackers.
You can identify scammers on the Internet by their style of dialogue and their constant interest in your confidential information (passport, card details).
In telephone communication, scammers have more opportunities for scams - voice and intonation. They create an imaginary rush or panic, conveying the mood to the subscriber, and not giving him time to think.
Knowing your full name, he can introduce himself as a bank security officer and ask you to dictate the verification code from the SMS message received on your phone.
Signs of fraudulent activity may include the following:
- a trustworthy call - from a bank, from a friend or acquaintance;
- imaginary panic, excitement;
- please provide your bank card details or code from SMS.
Begging
This type of fraud is very simple - usually scammers ask for money (usually small amounts or as much as they can) for various urgent needs. At the same time, the attackers try to beat, as they say, out of pity - for example, an urgent operation is needed (and, probably, on a child).
The amounts requested are usually small; the method is to send spam emails to the potential victim’s email address. There are, of course, real cases when people need emergency help, but, as a rule, in this case, the methods of collecting money will be different - through famous people, charitable foundations or companies, detailed information about the person in need will also be indicated, including – bank details where funds can be credited (in this case, you can first check whether the person really needs help or whether he just decided to cash in on compassionate users).
Unlike beggars standing on the streets or in churches, online scammers can collect significantly larger sums from a much wider target audience.
Is it possible to get money back from online scammers?
According to the Law “On the National Payment System”, the financial institution, the bank, must return the transferred funds. Only his client must write a statement about the fact of Internet fraud within 24 hours after the financial transaction. Then the bank will block it and begin an audit. The law gives him 30 calendar days to do this.
In practice, everything is not so optimistic. If the banking system was hacked, the money will be returned. However, if you yourself provided the scammers with your card details or the code from SMS, the bank will blame you for everything.
In some cases, banks accommodate regular customers halfway, returning small amounts to them in these cases. But you shouldn’t count on their favor.
Competitions and giveaways
This is another fertile ground for online scams. Business owners are interested in attracting customers; to do this, they use various promotion methods. Carrying out promotions and sweepstakes is one of the very effective ones. But it has a downside; you have to spend money on gifts. After all, if there are none or they are small, then the coverage will be similar.
In order not to waste money, the winners are appointed from among their own or are completely invented. Even if everything looks real, for example, through the Random number service, all this can be easily faked. The video is recorded several times until the number that the organizers want is randomly drawn. So they have already saved the iPhone or other product that they promised to the participants.
Evaluate a company that does this. See if there have been similar events in the past and learn how they were conducted. If there were none, then try to understand whether the organization values its reputation and whether the prizes are real. This is enough to initially weed out those who did not intend to at least partially fulfill their obligations.
Be sure to read the terms and conditions of the competition. It is ideal if the results are announced live and using public random number generators. Some cunning people manage to combine fake events with stealing your data. For example, they ask for your phone number, and an SMS with an authorization code is sent to it. As soon as you enter it on the site, supposedly for identification, your mobile phone balance is debited for a paid subscription.
Where to report scammers
If you discover that you have become a victim of fraudulent activity, contact law enforcement immediately. This will allow you to identify criminals “hot on their heels”:
- After installing the Ministry of Internal Affairs application, find the nearest police station address. They will accept your fraud report.
- If you feel like your efforts will be in vain, just write an email to Department “K” of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, which deals with crimes in the field of information technology.
- If you detect fraud on the Internet, to which an entire website is dedicated, you need to contact the search engines Yandex and Google - they will block it. And even if the attackers are not caught, other users will save their money and nerves.
Freelancing scam
For those who don’t know, there are various exchanges on the Internet where one person can order a job, and another will do it and earn money. I even order various freelance work myself and pay real money to those who do it. By the way, you can also register and earn money.
So, there are customers who are sent work, but they do not pay money. They just throw away the performers. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen.
If you work on such exchanges, or want to start working, then in order not to be deceived, you need to read information about the customer and reviews about him. Roughly speaking, if he was registered a year ago, and 55 performers wrote reviews like “Good person, sent the money on time,” then you can safely start working with him, and he will not deceive you.
On the other hand, if a person was registered 2 days ago, he does not have a photo, information about himself is not filled out, and there are no paid works, then it is better not to work with him, or to work on an advance payment. That is, you take 50% from him at the beginning, then show him a screenshot of the work, then take another 50%, and only then send him the work.
Miracle wallets
The fraudster, introducing himself as a former QIWI/Yandex/WebMoney support worker, reveals the “secret” of the existence of magic wallets, to which by sending a certain contribution, you can double it. Screenshots are provided that allegedly prove the receipt of substantial earnings, which, of course, are fake.
A trusting user sends 100,200,500 rubles in anticipation of easy money, but that’s where it all ends - naturally, no one will return the money, and the scammer’s wallet is anonymous and most likely registered in another country.
The main dangers of modern Internet surfing and how to avoid them?
Programs for hacking payment systems
Sometimes Internet scammers offer super programs that make it easy to hack electronic wallets. Having paid for such miracle software, the user, at best, receives an unnecessary and non-working program, and at worst, he introduces a virus to his computer.
You cannot download such programs. These programs are published by attackers and contain a Trojan.
After you run such a program on your computer, all your personal data (passwords, accounts) become known to the fraudster, and he will also be able to remotely control your computer, most likely using it for illegal activities.
Easy money
Another scam is an offer to deposit a small amount and “raise” a lot of money by playing with it. This could be electronic trading such as Forex, online casinos, bookmakers and many other similar schemes.
Moreover, to attract users into all these schemes, scammers do not spare loud phrases, beautiful banners, videos and other methods of psychological processing; the whole point comes down to the fact that by doing practically nothing you can get huge winnings.
It is worth saying that there are venerable professionals who really make money on the same “Forex”, but there are literally only a few of them and they have certain abilities, skills and experience in such a “game”, which did not come to them right away and which are so you just won't master it. Basically, a person gives his hard-earned money and is left with nothing.
Sites offering quick earnings:
You go to the site, read that it offers quick income, for example, from 1000 rubles +5000 rubles per month.
At the same time, there are hundreds of positive reviews on the site.
But: on such a site, most likely, there is no contact information, or there is contact information, but it is fake.
You cannot transfer money to wallets listed on such sites.
Operating system blockers
When browsing the Internet, you can easily pick up a virus that blocks Windows. There are several ways a virus can penetrate a computer. One of them is banners that appear on dubious sites and interfere with their browsing.
At the same time, the buttons on the banner are deliberately “mixed up” - when you click on the close icon of the banner, the virus is downloaded and then automatically installed. You can download the virus from various file hosting services and dubious torrents in the form of a file with the exe extension. As a rule, such a file takes up very little space (no more than 1-2 megabytes, more often several tens or hundreds of kilobytes) and when clicked on it, it launches the blocker.
The blocker can start immediately or when the system is restarted. At the same time, it blocks the operation of the mouse and keyboard, and the user cannot perform most or all of the usual actions with the computer.
A message appears in the program window that the system is blocked for obvious or imaginary violations (you have a pirated copy of Windows, you watched child porn or violated any laws) and a fine is required to be paid via SMS, after which you will receive a response SMS with a password to unlock it.
Otherwise, scammers threaten with all sorts of punishments - for example, complete destruction of data on the computer.
There is no need to be afraid of this - these threats are unrealizable. To get rid of the blocker, you should first try to gain access to the system. For example, some blockers completely paralyze the mouse, but leave a small ability to work with the keyboard - then you can call the task manager, remove the virus from working, and after resuming full access to the system, delete the files left by it.
You can also try to type a description of your problem on the Internet from another computer and find system unlock codes.
