MyTrendingStories offers tips on how to avoid being scammed on the internet? What are the worst scams? The scams that are most reported to Netsafe are scams like tech support scams, event ticket scams and cold calling scams. The scams where people lose the most money are usually romance scams, investment scams and invoice scams. Keep your personal information secure and be sure to think carefully before entering your details online, or giving them to someone. Protect information that can be used to access your accounts, build a fake online presence or impersonate you including: Netsafe can’t open investigations or track scammers, but we can offer advice for people who have lost money in a scam or think they are about to. This includes letting you know the steps you can take and advice about how to stay safe in future. You can report a scam to www.netsafe.org.nz/report.
Live news from Mytrendingstories online platform: How Can I Protect Myself? To avoid fake check scams, follow these tips: Don’t cash the “unexpected” check. Companies, including FINRA, rarely if ever send checks that don’t include some explanation of why the check was issued. Unless you are expecting the check — and you are absolutely certain it is meant for you — do not cash it. Don’t “keep the change. “No legitimate company will overpay you and ask that you wire the difference back to the company or to some third party. Be extremely wary of any offer — in any context — to accept a check or money order in an amount greater than you are owed. Check the sender’s methods of communication. Legitimate businesses rarely communicate exclusively through social media or messaging apps, and hiring managers and executives of those companies generally do not use personal email accounts (e.g., Gmail or Hotmail) for business purposes.
MyTrendingStories anti-scam advice: Recent reports highlight the fact that online dating sites and apps are seeing massive increases in users and dates. It seems that love is logging in online. Before you run off to create your dating profile, consider the possible risks. According to the FBI, romance scams and similar confidence scams cost consumers more money than any other kind of internet fraud. And that negative trend has been on the rise. In just four years, from 2016 to 2020, consumer losses as a result of romance scams increased fourfold, eventually hitting a record $304 million in reported losses last year. But love doesn’t have to mean loss. We’re here to help with five tips to avoid becoming a victim of a romance scam. Like any encounter with a new person, it’s best to take things slow. Scammers are there for one reason only; they want your money, preferably as fast as possible. As a result, they may send gifts and flatter you with compliments, and even say the “L” early in the relationship. Take the time to ask a lot of questions and never give out personal information to someone online that could put your finances or identity at risk. Find more information on mytrendingstories scam.
Mytrendingstories.com shows how to escape scams: Say you come across an ad for 95% off your favorite item. You click on the ad and are taken to a website where you can shop for deals. You subsequently put in your personal information to redeem the ad and get your product. At that point, the scammer has got your information and will leave you high and dry. If you’re skeptical of a deal, see what the item is selling for at other retailers. Conducting a simple price comparison can help you spot if the deal is truly legitimate or just an attempt to lure in you into throwing money at a product or service that doesn’t exist. Be careful when using a public Wi-Fi connection, and avoid it completely if you intend to buy products and enter payment information. The chance for identity theft increases when using public Wi-Fi. Sometimes online criminals will set up a similar Wi-Fi network to the one you’re expecting to use, hoping you’ll connect to it, according to AARP. If you do need to use public Wi-Fi, make sure you’re also using a virtual private network.
Report the scam to the police through Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report a scam anonymously on its website. If you’re in Scotland, report a scam through Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or on its website. You can also report scams to Police Scotland on 101. If you wish to seek further advice, contact Citizens Advice Scams Action through the website, or call its online scams helpline on 0300 330 3003. Alternatively, you can contact the Financial Conduct Authority’s helpline on 0800 111 6768. How do I know if I’ve been scammed? You’ve had unexplained transactions on your bank account. Additional financial products pop up on your credit report that you don’t remember taking out. Bank statements meant for your address aren’t delivered – this could be a sign of ID fraud. You’re rejected for credit when you’ve got a good credit history. It’s worth checking your credit reference file on a monthly basis to see if someone is making false applications for credit in your name. See the Credit Check guide for full info. Find extra information on Mytrendingstories.