E6 | Online scams

This module will teach you all about online scams, how to recognize them, and how to avoid them.

• 1. What is a scam?

  Got it!

• 2. How do I recognize online scams?

  Scamming is widespread, and victims are not just job seekers or gullible email recipients with hopes of striking it rich. Even if you are looking for office space or simply want to buy or sell items online, you can also encounter scammers.

  Here’s what a scam message might look like:

  

  In this case, the scam message falsely claims that your internet activity has been monitored. This scam is often used in professional settings where recipients will fear losing their job if the truth comes to light. This type of scam can be recognized quickly, especially if you have not done what the email accuses you of. But what else can help you recognize online scams?

  Your own gut feeling

  If a dubious message lands in your inbox or mailbox at home, you should wonder why you of all people were chosen to help transfer millions of dollars from Nigeria to Europe. Is that plausible? Is the offer for downtown office space at well below market value perhaps too good to be true? Are the office supplies from an unknown shop that can’t issue invoices far too cheap?

  Signs you are dealing with a scam

  Do the email addresses or names of the senders have small errors or inaccuracies? Should an advance payment suddenly be sent through an unknown third party? Does the alleged authority or bank really exist?

  Communication through other platforms

  Another sign of online scams is when scammers try to quickly steer the channel of communication away from the portal where contact was originally established, such as a real estate exchange or classified ads platform. Large online services often have built-in scam filters that the cyber-criminals want to avoid.

  No face-to-face meetings

  Before you put your trust in an unknown person and possibly transfer money to them, you should meet them in person at least once. This alone does not protect against fraud, but many scammers refuse to have face-to-face meetings and keep inventing new excuses why it isn’t possible. This also applies if you are offered a great job that requires you to first transfer money.

  Confirming through an internet search

  Are you suspicious and eager to get to the bottom of the matter? Run an internet search with the name of the potential scammer, possibly with the addition of “scammer.” Have they provided you a picture? Run a reverse image search to find out if the image was used elsewhere.

  Alleged online shops, so-called fake shops, are another a common scam method. You can find out how to recognize trustworthy shops in the “Online shopping” section of Unit F4.

  Got it!

• 3. What should be done if I fall victim to scammers?

  As with all forms of online fraud, scam victims should act quickly, warn others, and consider going to the police.

  Do not respond to the scammers’ demands, and do not transfer money under any circumstances. If a transfer has already taken place, try to have it reversed if possible. Gather evidence such as chat histories, emails, and transfer receipts on an external hard drive or USB stick, and file a complaint with the police. Make sure to break off all contact with the scammers.

  

  

  Got it!