3 Red Flags That Give Away An Online Scam
There is simply no denying that the Internet has done great things. Not only has changed many aspects of the typical household, but it has done amazing things for businesses as well. Just look at the way people are researching and advertising these days.
If you want to research something, where is the first place you go? If you’re going to get your company out there on a global level without spending thousands of dollars on building an overseas marketing campaign, where do you go? The Internet, of course. As a matter of fact, Entrepreneur has published a list of 8 ways to create viral marketing campaigns without spending a fortune.
Unfortunately, all this unfettered and convenient access does not come without risks. The Internet also has a dark side, and that dark side is anonymity. With VPN software and other resource, scammers can remain completely anonymous while they take you for everything you got financially.
This is why if you are going to make financial transactions online, you need to learn to spot potential scams. While it will be entirely impossible to avoid every dangerous scenario online, the following guide will help prepare you for some of the most commonly used online scams. Let’s take a look.
Watch this video to see some great tips on how to spot online scammers:
Upfront Payments
Some people aren’t that tech-savvy, and some people aren’t that street savvy. You might be surprised to learn just how easy it is to rip someone off online. Many scammers use sites that ask for money without giving you any definite information as to what they are selling or offering.
People are more than willing to pay up. This is truly troubling when you sit down and consider it. You should never hand over a dime of your money unless you know exactly where it is going and what it is contributing to.
A popular product will sell itself, and there should be no means for secrecy or mystery. Keep in mind that people not only do this with products, but they do this with information as well. This is probably even more common.
People will create sites swearing up and down that they can help you start a successful small online business. And, before you know it, you have already invested hundreds of dollars without getting any information in return. Whether it is products or services, you want to make sure that you are never spending any money unless you truly know what you are getting. Ask online or even look to see if the company that you are dealing with has a Better Business Bureau profile page.
Get Rich Quick Schemes
Get quick rich schemes are, without a doubt, some of the most common online. Heck, these schemes have been around way before the Internet, but people continue to fall for them. This is probably because the Internet offers a whole new way to approach one of these scams.
You would be surprised at just how sophisticated and innovate scammers are these days. Just about anytime you see someone promising to make you a bundle of money in a short amount of time, you can rest assured that it is a scam. In the real world, it takes a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication to accumulating significant wealth and income.
The only way you are going to become a billionaire overnight is by winning the Lotto or hitting it big with a reputable online casino like https://singapoker.org.
Pop-Ups Asking To Download Software
How many times has your browser been hit with a pop-up telling you that your flash or media player needs to be updated? How many times have you downloaded and installed these offerings? Even just once could be enough to land you in hot water.
More than likely, these pop-ups aren’t coming from reputable sources. Look closely at the download link, and you will probably see that they aren’t even coming from the official software vendor.
These are just unrepeatable sites trying to get malware onto your computer so they can download and access your personal and financial information. If you get an update prompt, you need to immediately close out of your browser and check what it is telling you to update.
For instance, if the pop-up is telling you that your flash player is out of date, then you need to open that flash player and check for updates. If there is an update available from the vendor, it will be available right there in the software, and you will know it is legit.
How To Report Scammers
Let your family and friends know about this article by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers or other questionable activities to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
How To Protect Yourself More
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You’ll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.
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