Online Scams: How To Avoid Getting Fooled
Online scams are a big problem, but it doesn't have to be. There are many ways to avoid becoming the next victim.
In this post I'll give you some tips on how you can avoid getting scammed online. Scams come in all shapes and sizes, but they have one thing in common: they want your money! Thankfully, there are a few steps that you can take to make sure that you keep your hard-earned money safe and sound.
1. Stay alert!
I can't stress this one enough. The second you think you've lost money to a scam you owe it to yourself and everyone else that read this article to make sure you don't lose any more of your hard-earned cash. As soon as you suspect it's a scam, call the police or report it on your local branch of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) website here: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0036-avoiding-internet-scams You will also want to set up an Online Fraud Alert with http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx which will place a warning in your report with the three major credit bureaus. Once you've done that, print out all of your correspondence and save it on a thumb drive so that you can prove your case most effectively if things go to court.
2. Be wary of any site that asks for personal information immediately.
If a website looks shady, chances are it is! Legitimate companies want to build an online presence and will not require you to fill out forms for personal information right away. There are times when they might ask you to submit some basic information, but they will not send you a request to send this information back to them right away. If, however, a site asks for all of your personal information or verifies your identity online without your permission, be wary and call the company up on it.
3. Use common sense when dealing with people that you don't know.
If someone you don't know is asking for money over the phone or via email, keep in mind that many scam artists use similar tactics when trying to get money from you. Stay strong in those gut feelings and don't give out personal information unless it's necessary.
4. Don't believe the hype.
If a website is offering you a free phone, tablet, laptop, etc., or seems to be offering you too-good-to be-true deals, it probably is! There are lots of fake websites out there that will offer you something for free or to undercut prices as a means of attracting new customers. Don't fall for it! If you're looking to buy something online, do plenty of research before buying so you know what the going rates are. Do not jump on deals that seem too good to be true.
5. Be careful about paying for services online.
If you are trying to sign up for a service that requires a monthly fee, such as Internet, make sure you know exactly what it is you're getting out of the deal. Since many scam artists use the same tactics to gain access to your personal information over the phone, avoid signing up with any business that calls you and asks for credit card or bank account information right off the bat. If they ask for your account information, try calling them at an 800 number instead of using their local number in order to make sure everything is on the level.
6. Use a search engine like Google or Bing to find deals.
Chances are good that if a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. One great way to avoid getting scammed online is to do your homework before you buy. Make sure you use a search engine like Google or Bing to search for the price of the item you're looking to buy. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is!
7. Use reputable payment processors when making purchases on eBay and other auction sites.
It's always a good idea to make sure you're using an accredited payment processor when buying products on sites like eBay or Craigslist. You can find out who is accredited by going to the Security Center on PayPal's site here: https://www.paypal-knowledge.com/securitycenter You can also use a credit card or check to pay for your online purchases, and then you'll be able to dispute the charges if anything goes wrong.
8. Be wary of sites that require you to download software.
It's always a good idea to make sure you're installing software from websites that are reputable and trustworthy before downloading anything to your computer. If the website is asking you to download anything before entering your information, don't do it. You'll be able to trust that their software will open a new window for you to enter your credit card or bank account information and complete your transaction. If it doesn't, call the company up and inform them of the problem so you can get a refund from them.
9. If you're feeling like you've been scammed, report it!
If you feel like an online deal that sounds too good to be true is not honouring the terms stated in their agreement, contact them straight away and let them know about any problems with their site so that they can fix these immediately.
10. Don't give out personal information online.
If the website seems shady or you feel like they are trying to gain access to your personal information in some way, don't give it out! Instead, go back to step one and report it immediately so that they will stop. You will want to avoid giving out any personal or financial information that is on your report with the credit bureaus because once you do that, you lose all control of this information! If a website asks for it outright, call them on it immediately and inform them that you don't have any of this information but have a friend who does and that she's willing to give it to them instead.
Conclusion
Internet scams can cost you a lot of time, money and grief so it's best to learn how to avoid them before they happen. If you do fall victim to one, however, use the information above to your advantage and report them immediately so that they can be stopped. Educate yourself about internet scams before it happens so that you will be prepared for it when it does. Most importantly, report all scam artists immediately to make sure that they are stopped from victimizing anyone else!
https://www.scambook.com/report/view/194660
http://www.ic3.gov/default.