| Of all the different types of frauds present in | | | | bounce. Often the scammers will make up a reason |
| cyberspace, it's the scams that steal your money | | | | why you have to send a percentage of the check |
| that are obviously the worse. The monetary damage | | | | somewhere else, and this is how they make their |
| isn't the only negative effects they inflict. Victims are | | | | money. The checks take time to clear, but when you |
| embarrassed and can and often do become | | | | send a percentage of the check on, it ends up being |
| depressed upon realising they have been swindled | | | | out of your own money. Excuses why scammers will |
| out of their hard earned cash. | | | | ask you to forward a percentage of the check on |
| Types of scams that target your cash are usually | | | | can vary, but we've seen reasons like the victim has |
| the Advanced Fee Fraud scams, Check Cashing | | | | been overpaid, or the "job description" includes |
| scams and phishing techniques like fraudulent | | | | sending money on and keeping a percentage. A |
| requests for your bank details, all of which are | | | | nearly identical and updated version of check cashing |
| typically initiated via email. It is not limited to these of | | | | scams is done through fake money transfer scams. |
| course, but this article is directed at spotting scams | | | | Especially watch out for scammers insisting on paying |
| that are initiated via email. | | | | via money wiring services. The scammers still ask |
| These are our top ten tips to look out for on | | | | you to forward a percentage of the money wired to |
| potentially fraudulent emails to help you avoid being | | | | you on to somebody else, often for the same |
| scammed. | | | | reasons, but ultimately the money transferred to you |
| 1. No Personal Details? | | | | either gets reversed or is stolen so you still end up |
| Prevalent in most types of emails scams, this | | | | losing the money you forwarded. So avoid schemes |
| unavoidable symptom of online swindles is one of the | | | | which ask you to receive money and forward a |
| best giveaways. You see, you receive SPAM email | | | | percentage of that money on to somebody else, |
| because your email address is on a mailing list. How it | | | | whether it be by check or money transfer. |
| got there can vary. You may have given your email | | | | 6. Unexpected Fees |
| away to someone you shouldn't have, or someone | | | | This sign is usually isolated to Advanced Fee Fraud |
| may have leaked it, or the fraudsters may have | | | | because the victim paying "fees" is the premise of |
| even guessed it! Regardless, the scammers have the | | | | the scam - its how these types of scammers actually |
| mailing list and ergo have your email as well. But this | | | | make their money, but it is worth mentioning so we |
| is all they have - your email - they don't have your | | | | can highlight some common examples of what fees |
| personal details, like your name. They may try and | | | | you are expected to pay that show up in many |
| guess it - for example if your email was then it is a | | | | scams. |
| fair chance your name is John, but what if your email | | | | Probably the most common is the "release bond" |
| was Not so much. Also mailing lists are typically huge, | | | | which is sometimes referred to as a "security fee" - |
| often exceeding a million email addresses. Imagine | | | | the scammers will usually say that you have to pay |
| trying to go through each one attempting to get the | | | | this for some sort of insurance so their bank will |
| names of the potential recipients? Not likely. This | | | | release the money to you. It is a common reason |
| results in inevitably the SPAM email not including your | | | | because it is successful as the victim assumes it is a |
| name, or any other personal details for that matter. | | | | one off and final payment just before they get the |
| This can be such an effective giveaway because so | | | | massive amount of cash promised to them by the |
| many types of prolific email scams are based on the | | | | scammer. |
| lie that the person sending you the email knows who | | | | Another popular charge is "bribes" - as most |
| you are. | | | | Advanced Fee Fraud is committed in Nigeria or other |
| Lets look at an example - many types of advanced | | | | African nations, the scammers often lie about corrupt |
| fee fraud will claim to be from a barrister from | | | | governments and government officials that usually |
| somewhere like Nigeria telling you that you have | | | | need "bribing" or the transfer won't go ahead. This is |
| some sort of inheritance. If he knows you have this | | | | a classic "unexpected" charge the scammers like to |
| inheritance then why does he not appear to know | | | | use, and will often claim they have paid some of the |
| your name? | | | | bribe and the victim needs to pay the rest. |
| Also phishing scams like the fake requests from your | | | | Another example is the fraudster will claim you need |
| bank - your name is never on the email. Before you | | | | your own bank account in the country of origin, with |
| ask "how do they know what bank I'm with?" we'll | | | | a certain amount already in it. The scammer informs |
| tell you they don't. They send a million emails from | | | | the victim that they will set up the account; the |
| "Bank A" and there is always a good chance there is | | | | victim is just required to send the funds to put into |
| a significant percentage of people with that bank. | | | | the account. Also, the scammers will claim you need |
| The same principle applies with such frauds like fake | | | | to obtain some sort of certificate, an example we |
| lottery scams and phoney job offer scams. The | | | | have seen in the "anti drug/terrorist" clearance |
| fraudsters will try and cover their tracks by | | | | certificate, whatever this is. Needless to say, the |
| addressing you as "SIR" or as "The Recipient" or | | | | scammer expects you to pay for it. |
| other titles, but it is a good thing to watch out for. | | | | Courier fees are another popular example of charges |
| Obviously if you do reply to an email like this, they | | | | the victim is expected to pay. The scammer will use |
| will then have your name so expect the follow up | | | | the excuse that there is too much money at stake |
| email to be addressed to you. | | | | to do a simple bank transfer and the victim needs to |
| Be aware however, there are a small amount of | | | | pay for the couriers to deliver it by hand. Related to |
| scammers out there that do get your name, so this | | | | this are security fees for the courier also. This is the |
| indicator is by no means the definitive giveaway. | | | | majority of possible charges scammers use but by |
| 2. Bad Grammar and Spelling | | | | no means a full list. The charges and fees scammers |
| Another good giveaway is bad grammar and spelling. | | | | make up vary depending on the type of scams out |
| Sometimes it can get so bad that trying to follow it | | | | there, and there are a diverse amount of scams |
| is about as difficult as teaching a chimpanzee | | | | circulating the Internet. Also the fees we've already |
| Pythagoras. | | | | mentioned may be presented to the victim with a |
| A lot of Advanced Fee Fraud emails still indicate they | | | | different name like "handling fees" or "processing |
| are from African nations such as Nigeria, even though | | | | fees" - though it is all the same. Made up excuses for |
| these nations have now become so intrinsically linked | | | | the victim to pay the scammer. Be very sceptical |
| with Internet fraud. This may be because the | | | | when asked for money over the Internet by |
| scammers don't really have a choice but to concede | | | | somebody that you do not personally know. Also it |
| they are from Africa because they are aware their | | | | should be noted on this point that scammers often |
| grammar would never be good enough to pass off | | | | ask for your bank details and copies of identification |
| as an English speaking writer, though this is | | | | such as passports. Again you should never send |
| speculation. Either way bad grammar is something to | | | | these over the Internet to people you do not know. |
| look out for, especially in email scams proposing | | | | 7. Sympathy |
| business opportunities. Even if you were unaware it | | | | Many scammers will pray on the sympathetic and |
| was an indication the email was a scam, would you | | | | compassionate, by creating a "sob story" - this can |
| still want to do business with somebody who can't | | | | vary but common examples include the person |
| string a sentence together? | | | | sending the email or someone close has serious |
| 3. Web Based Emails | | | | health problems and needs the victim to help them |
| This indicator is especially common in Advanced Fee | | | | by accepting money from them for whatever |
| Fraud. To have your own POP3 domain email account | | | | reason. The scammer presumes that if the victim |
| you first have to purchase that domain, or work for | | | | feels sorry for them then they are more willing to |
| the people who own that domain. Fraudsters don't | | | | cooperate. Also another example is the scammer will |
| work for businesses like this and don't want to | | | | explain how difficult life is in their country and how |
| purchase domain accounts, so they will set up free | | | | they are trying to be honest. An example of this is |
| web based email accounts for you to contact them | | | | the "honest Nigerian banker" variant of 419 scam, |
| via - for example hotmail, msn, yahoo or gmail are all | | | | where the scammer will tell the victim that they are |
| heavily used by scam artists. Legitimate businesses, | | | | new to their profession and have come across your |
| foreign or domestic, always have their own domain, | | | | details, and that you are due a lot of money, but the |
| so have no need to send or receive emails from | | | | Nigerian government or the bankers superiors are not |
| these free web mail accounts. Web based email is | | | | willing to let the money go. Again be extremely |
| also popular with scammers not only because it is | | | | sceptical of people trying to pull your heart strings |
| free but requires little or no identification. | | | | through an email. |
| So if you receive an email from some Nigerian banker | | | | 8. Poorly constructed websites |
| or barrister and he is using a free web mail account, | | | | Most types of email scams are perpetuated through |
| it is unlikely that he is genuine, and you are probably | | | | email alone, but a significant number of scams like |
| looking at an attempt to scam you. | | | | fake job offers will create fake websites to promote |
| 4. Sense of Urgency | | | | the scam, in order to get the victim to further |
| This symptom is present in many, many scams you | | | | believe the scam. The websites however, are often |
| find on the Internet. The last thing a scammer wants | | | | poorly constructed, with bad grammar, spelling |
| you to do is take your time deciding what to do. This | | | | mistakes and don't really do a whole lot. We |
| is for many reasons. For starter, the longer you take | | | | investigated a check cashing scam disguised as a job |
| to decide, the better the chance you have of | | | | offer for a travel agency called Petra Tour. The |
| determining that it is a scam. Also scammers don't | | | | website for Petra Tour seemed legitimate enough, |
| use the same email addresses for too long because | | | | actually quite professional for a scam site, but we |
| they either get shut down or because people have | | | | noticed the "Book Now" links didn't do anything, they |
| become aware that they are being used to commit | | | | were just for show. Two fake Internet start-ups |
| fraud, so scammers need you to reply before they | | | | asking for investors, Tazoodle and Buzzbot, both had |
| move on to their next scam, and their next email. | | | | poorly constructed websites, with dead links and |
| So scammers will make up a plethora of reasons why | | | | poor layout. Just because someone can show you a |
| you have not got long to respond to them. Popular | | | | website in no way guarantees an opportunities |
| reasons for Advanced Fee Fraud state the corrupt | | | | legitimacy. |
| government is trying to get "your" money, and you | | | | 9. Email Only |
| need to reply fast to better the chances of | | | | Not true in a small amount of cases, but true is most, |
| retrieving it before they do. Check cashing scams | | | | is the scammers need to hide his identity by using |
| masquerading as job offers will claim the job is only | | | | means of communication that won't allow a potential |
| on offer for a small amount of time. This sense of | | | | victim to trace them. The easiest way to do this is |
| urgency scammers often create is not even limited | | | | hiding behind web based email as we discussed earlier. |
| to email fraud, but many fake "get rich quick" | | | | It is true that in some cases scammers have spoken |
| schemes we see on the Internet will use techniques | | | | to victims or even met them in person, but most of |
| where they will get the victim to believe there are | | | | the time they will refuse to speak to customers over |
| only a certain amount of copies of a particular | | | | the phone or to meet them in person, nor will they |
| "product" left and if you don't buy it now you may | | | | offer mailing addresses. Be extremely sceptical of |
| lose out for good. Also the "special offer" or "limited | | | | people only willing to converse through email. |
| offer" garble may be used to hurry users as well. | | | | However, as we mentioned before, some fraudsters |
| A particularly audacious example of this we have | | | | are willing to speak over the phone or meet in order |
| seen was the promotion of Vincent James book | | | | to scam you out of money, so this is not a definitive |
| "teaching" you to become a millionaire in 2 years - the | | | | sign. |
| product was of course a scam, but upon visiting the | | | | 10. If it's Too Good to be True, It Probably Is! |
| website, there was a big red sign on the right saying | | | | Our final indicator is a truly universal one that |
| only "37 copies left" and a countdown from 4 | | | | practically encompasses all Internet scams. A |
| minutes, just below, making its way to zero. | | | | scammer knows that people aren't going to jump |
| Refreshing the page caused the countdown to reset | | | | through hoops for them unless they have a pretty |
| back up to 4 minutes, proving it was just a technique | | | | significant motivation, and with 99% of scams out |
| to rush victims into buying a shoddy product. We | | | | there, its money. What is more motivating than |
| visited the same site a few weeks later, and hardly | | | | financial freedom for little effort? It is true that |
| surprising there were still "37" copies left. | | | | people make money all the time on the Internet, but |
| 5. Paying with Checks (and forwarding money)? | | | | what people often don't understand is that it takes |
| Of course this tactic is primarily used in Check cashing | | | | time, dedication, luck and hard work. Scammers |
| scams, such as fake job offers or certain types of | | | | usually fake easy ways to earn a fortune which |
| scams on auction sites like EBay. With credit and | | | | simply never exists. There are no easy ways to |
| debit cards becoming the norm when it comes up | | | | make large amounts of cash online, and no one is |
| paying for services online, and electronically | | | | ever going to genuinely just hand over great riches |
| transferring money to bank accounts has become | | | | to you, nor offer you the "secret" recipe to great |
| the norm for paying employees, it is becoming more | | | | riches. If you come across an offer claiming to make |
| and more easy when trying to spot check cashing | | | | you a millionaire or something to that effect, stand |
| scams, since the scammers insist on paying you with | | | | back and use your common sense. |
| old fashioned checks, which will - after a few days - | | | | |