Anyone can be the target of a fraudster. It doesn’t matter what you do or your age. Even companies can be scammed by a person posing as an officer from a governmental agency. They ask for sensitive information that if given can wreck the company forever.
So also, scammers can create fake companies that ask people to divulge personal information over a phone call or email. At US – reviews, there are tons of trustworthy companies that have real people give genuine reviews, make complaints, and say their experiences relating with each company.
We fall for scams because the fraudsters make them so real and believable. We can’t easily detect them because we aren’t expecting to be defrauded. Such individuals have spent years crafting their trade and have become perfect at it. They go as far as creating a fake review of companies they created to lure innocent online shoppers, who unknowingly give off their credit card numbers, names, address, and bank details.
One can only recognize such scams if one has ever fallen victim to them or know someone who has. The best protection is to know how to protect yourself. Find how below.
- Protect Yourself Online
Be careful of how much sensitive personal information you give out online. When buying things online only give the necessary information. Don’t give your PIN out or bank account. Watch out for sites asking for the password to your emails. On social media sites, use the privacy setting to limit who can see your profile.
- Don’t Click All Links
Fraudsters typically clone major, trusted sites to try and deceive people into believing it’s the real one. Banks are mostly affected. Customers are asked to click on such links to access their accounts, not knowing it’s fake. Any link that doesn’t have “HTTPS” in its address, is most likely a fake site. Watch out for links offering freebies.
- Don’t Open All Emails
Scam emails are mailed to would-be victims, soliciting funds and it often has a long narrative attached to it. They can include a link also for you to click. Don’t Click such links. Delete such emails and turn on spam settings for such mails.
- Burn Or Shred Documents
Scammers can steal your identity and bank details from documents you tear and thrash. Rather than tear alone, tear and shred or just burn them. Any document you don’t need the information on anymore, shred and before thrashing. Ask your bank to mail you e-statements instead of a hard copy. Never leave any piece of paper with your details on it at the bank. Take them along with you and shred them.
- Constant Bank Account Monitoring
Even before you receive your monthly statements, constantly check your account balance. Check for discrepancies and bring them to the attention of the bank if you find any. Fraudsters could be stealing little amounts from your account for years. Even banks may not catch it quickly.
Fraudsters have a sweet tongue. They are persuasive and well skilled in creating an urgency that makes the victim act immediately. Learn to listen and or read carefully what you have received or what you are listening to. When in doubt, confide in another person before taking any decision.
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