Internet Scams

Have you ever been on the internet and felt you have seen something a little strange? The internet is an incredible thing, but if you’re not careful, you may fall into an internet scam and lose your money, identity or both. Here are some of the most common internet scams, but certainly not limited too! Remember to be careful and do research before ever giving anyone your personal information!

The Nigerian Scam

 This scam as been around since the 1920s, there are several variations but the end request is all the same  - will you help a wealthy individual get a large amount of money out of their respective country and help cover legal fees. As ridiculous as it sounds, people will send money for these legal fees and such to countries in Africa believing they will receive a small fortune for their help. How to avoid it? Never send money to an unknown person, especially outside the US!

Pre-approved loans or credit card scams.

If you’re thinking about applying for a pre-approved credit card or loan, stop and ask yourself, "Why would a bank give this to me by only charging me a fee?" The answer: they would not. Legitimate lenders will charge you an annual fee that will be applied to the balance of the card and will always run your credit before letting you know what you are approved!

Phishing emails and phony web sites.

These will show up in your inbox from common sites you may use such as PayPal or Citibank. They will state you MUST confirm your identity in order to keep your account active and ask for personal information such as your password, full name, social security number, etc. A legitimate company will never send you emails or send you to websites asking for this information! Remember, if you have an account with them, they already have it!

Disaster relief scams.

Unfortunately, people like to take advantage of people in bad situations. During natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, people set up fake charities online for people to donate to. They will have fake websites and emails asking for donations to help the victims. This can be slightly harder to avoid, but remember, do your research before ever donating or go through an organization you know is real, such as the Salvation Army or Red Cross.