Some look enticing. Some I understand people would fall for out of desperation. But some just don’t make any sense. I can’t believe people actually fell for them.
Here are some of those listed:
- The Nigerian Scam: You receive an email from a “wealthy” Nigerian family who wants to put their money to good business. They’ll ask if you’re interested and make you pay the legal and other fees as your share. (who would fall for this?)
- Lottery Scam: An email message informing you that you won millions of dollars, but before you can collect the winnings you must pay the processing fee.
- Phishing emails: The most widespread. It is a kind of an identity and password theft. Using convincing webpages like Citibank, eBay and Paypal, it will ask you to re-enter your ID and password to “confirm you identity.” The information is intercepted by scammers who will later on access your account and fleece you for several hundreds of dollars.
- Overpayment Scam: If you put up an ad to sell a car, truck or any expensive item, the scammer will find your ad and send you an email offering to pay so much more than the asking price (to cover supposedly for the shipping costs, etc.) In return, you are to send him the car and the cash difference.
- Disaster Relief Scam: scammers set up fake charity websites and get all the money donated to the supposed victims of the disaster. (brilliant)
- Make Money Fast Chain emails: Classic pyramid scheme. You are asked to send $5 or so to the person whose name is at the top of the list, add your own name to the bottom and forward the updated list to other people.
Here are some of those listed:
- The Nigerian Scam: You receive an email from a “wealthy” Nigerian family who wants to put their money to good business. They’ll ask if you’re interested and make you pay the legal and other fees as your share. (who would fall for this?)
- Lottery Scam: An email message informing you that you won millions of dollars, but before you can collect the winnings you must pay the processing fee.
- Phishing emails: The most widespread. It is a kind of an identity and password theft. Using convincing webpages like Citibank, eBay and Paypal, it will ask you to re-enter your ID and password to “confirm you identity.” The information is intercepted by scammers who will later on access your account and fleece you for several hundreds of dollars.
- Overpayment Scam: If you put up an ad to sell a car, truck or any expensive item, the scammer will find your ad and send you an email offering to pay so much more than the asking price (to cover supposedly for the shipping costs, etc.) In return, you are to send him the car and the cash difference.
- Disaster Relief Scam: scammers set up fake charity websites and get all the money donated to the supposed victims of the disaster. (brilliant)
- Make Money Fast Chain emails: Classic pyramid scheme. You are asked to send $5 or so to the person whose name is at the top of the list, add your own name to the bottom and forward the updated list to other people.
1 comment:
how do we put an end to these scams? people may be smart enough to figure out how to use the internet, but unfortunately there are still some who get lured by these emails.
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