Romance Scams

T

Trenton Mihm

Col. Jessup: Banned
Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim.

The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do and will seem genuine, caring, and believable. Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites.

The scammer’s intention is to establish a relationship as quickly as possible, endear himself to the victim, and gain trust. Scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but that will never happen. Eventually, they will ask for money.

Scam artists often say they are in the building and construction industry and are engaged in projects outside the U.S. That makes it easier to avoid meeting in person—and more plausible when they ask for money for a medical emergency or unexpected legal fee.

If someone you meet online needs your bank account information to deposit money, they are most likely using your account to carry out other theft and fraud schemes.

Tips for Avoiding Romance Scams:​

  • Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
  • Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
  • Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
  • Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.
  • Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
  • Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
  • Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.
 

How to reduce your chances of becoming a victim​

  • try using three unrelated words, eg fishbooktable; and think of three different words for each account, so if one is compromised the others are safe
  • never give personal or sensitive details out online or over email
  • make sure all devices have up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed
  • keep software and apps regularly updated
  • only download from legal, trusted websites
  • only open emails and attachments from known and trusted sources
  • only ever use websites that start with https://, however make sure that you're on the correct site by sense-checking the full website address
  • avoid using public WiFi hotspots that are not secure, use your 3/4G data. If you have no choice but to use Public WiFi, then only use it with a Virtual Private Network enabled on your device
  • regularly back up your data
  • control your social media accounts – regularly check your privacy settings and how your data is being used and shared
  • be cautious of internet chats and online dating – there’s no guarantee you’re speaking to who you think
  • be extremely cautious if you’re asked for money

Email and text scams​

Be careful when opening emails and texts, especially if you don't know the sender. If an email or text is unexpected or seems unusual, even if it’s from someone you know, ignore it and contact the sender directly to check if they sent it.
Your bank, the police and reputable companies will never ask for sensitive or financial details via email, phone or text.
To protect yourself from scams, known as 'phishing':
  • don’t open attachments or click on links in emails or texts from senders you don’t know
  • never give out personal information, financial details or passwords in response to an email, when you receive an unexpected phone call or in response to a text message
  • set up spam filters on all of your accounts
  • don’t respond to emails or texts from unknown sources
  • always go to a website directly, by typing out the address yourself, when logging into an account

Social networking​

Social networks are a great way of keeping in touch with friends and family, but be careful about how much personal information you share.
Once you post or share something on any social media platform it’s out of your control and could be shared and used by others, even if you delete it.
Make sure you:
  • set your privacy settings to the highest level and check them regularly as updates can affect settings
  • don’t add or accept ‘friend’ requests from people you don’t know
  • where possible, block apps and social media sites from tracking and showing your location, to stop people you don’t know from following you
  • think carefully about the images, videos and content that you share
  • remember that if you wouldn’t do or say it in the real world, don’t do it online

How to spot a fake website​

If an online offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. To help spot a fake site:
  • sense check the domain name
  • are the prices too good to be true?
  • never pay by bank transfer – legitimate sites will accept payment via usual methods, such as bank card and PayPal
  • read the terms and conditions, and policies, to check they're clear and fair

Back up your data​

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that threatens to publish the victim's data or perpetually block access to it unless they pay a ransom.
Regularly back up all your documents and photos in at least one other place to minimise the risk of losing everything if you get a ransomware virus. You can back up data onto:
  • a USB stick
  • an external hard drive, making sure that the drive isn't connected at all times, as ransomware can infect devices connected to your network
  • a cloud server, making sure that the password you use for cloud servers and backups is a strong password and one you don't use anywhere else

Tips for parents and guardians​

The internet lets children connect with friends and learn new things. But there are also dangers to going online, and children can be particularly vulnerable.
Talking to your child is one of the best ways to keep them safe online. By understanding the risks and keeping yourself up-to-date on the latest technology, websites and social networks you can help your child enjoy the internet safely and securely.
To help protect your children online:
  • keep computers and games consoles in family rooms where you can monitor activity
  • install parental control software or activate parental controls through your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to prevent access to inappropriate content
  • ‘friend’ or ‘follow’ your child on social networks, so you can see how they're using them
  • check age restrictions for websites or social networks to make sure your children are allowed to join
  • advise your child not to post personal information or any images they wouldn’t want everyone to see
  • check their social media accounts’ privacy settings, so their posts are only seen by friends and their location isn’t tracked
  • avoid using webcams unless talking to close friends or family, and consider covering it when not in use
  • monitor how your children use the internet and watch for any secretive behaviour
  • encourage your child to be open about what they do online and who they’re talking to
  • insist you go with them if they wish to meet online friends
  • ensure the games your children play online are age appropriate
 
Trenton Mihm said:
It happens over ten years ago and I lost over $10,000.00
Click to expand...
There's an easy answer to never get scammed the first is hard for most but it's to have something called common sense. The second is easier it's to just trust nobody. even family in most cases they just want what you have. so, steer clear of everybody and work on yourself and yourself only.
 
Baby Facepalm GIF by MOODMAN
 

Puppy scam fools Council Bluffs cancer patient​

Published: Jul. 24, 2024 at 10:45 PM CDT|Updated: 11 hours ago
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT) - An old, but ongoing scam continues to fool more victims. The latest to fall for it is a woman who doesn’t need more stress in her life by losing money. 6 News has another warning about puppy scams.
While never alone during treatment, Dana wanted companionship when she gets home.
“Kind of like an emotional support animal and kind of therapeutic after going through radiation and cancer treatment for two different kinds of cancer,” Dana said.
A teacup Shih Tzu puppy would fit at role, and she paid for one online.
Anxious to get the puppy to its new home, Dana, who asked 6 News not to use her last name, put $100 down, but the seller wanted to it on a money app, which can be a red flag.
The puppy seller claims to be from Winterset, Iowa. It’s 118 miles from Council Bluffs, but the president of the Better Business Bureau suspects the puppy seller is much farther away.
“We’ve discovered that this crime primarily the epicenter for it in Cameroon, West Africa,” BBB President Jim Hagerty said.
BBB scam tracker reports show more than 1,500 victims of a puppy scam in the last year.
“The tipoff to the rip-off is that they are never going to allow you to physically visit the puppy,” Hagerty said. “You should not give anybody a dime for a puppy until you are able to physically visit it.”
However, photos of a cute puppy can be tempting.
“My heart is telling me to pay the one hundred fifteen dollars and try and get the dog,” Dana said. “But my mind is telling me it’s a scam.”
The victim paid more than $300 total through money apps and never received the dog. The BBB says the average loss in a puppy scam in a puppy scam is $1,000. Nearly 20% of reported online scams are tied to phony pet sales.
Copyright 2024 WOWT. All rights reserved.
 

Top 10 Scamming Countries in the World in 2021​


Top 10 Scamming Countries in the World in 2021



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Analytics Insight brings to you the Top 10 Scamming Countries in the World to be aware of​

Have you ever been a victim of a robbery or a scam? If not, you are incredibly fortunate! To rob a bank in the Internet age, one individual does not need to storm into a bank with a swarm of armed criminals. All you need to do is sit at home and practice your hacking abilities. While protection against such interventions is increasing on a daily basis, people will always discover methods to exploit gaps.
Some folks still favour "good old-fashioned deception." This is especially risky for travelers who do not always know and comprehend the state's norms and regulations.

Let's go through the top 10 scamming countries in the world.​

Nigeria​

Nigeria employs a single strategy to deceive the unwary. Everyone has likely seen this someplace, whether in email or social media messages, where they will likely tell you an extravagant fake story about large sums of money in the banking system or a large inheritance that is challenging for them to access due to government limitations or taxes in their nation, and in the procedure, they will ask for your bank account details so that they can transfer the funds to you.

India​

It's difficult to visit India without coming across a scam or someone attempting to swindle you. One rip-off tactic used by taxi drivers is to pretend they don't know how to get to your hotel. They will offer to transport you to another, more costly hotel. Another con is importing rubies duty-free, particularly in the Jaipur region. Tourists are contacted by a gem salesman who persuades them to purchase some worthless diamonds. You'll be instructed to bring them in under their duty-free limit, then sell them to one of his fake willing partners in their home nation for a considerably higher price than they paid.

China​

The Chinese are experts at this, and they've even used technology to defraud the general public. One way they use to deceive parents is to convince them that their child can get into college despite bad grades. "I'm Your Husband's Mistress," she says. Another way is to text the spouses of the men with a link to see photos of herself (mistress) with her spouse, which the women immediately click on, and her phone becomes infected with a Trojan virus, allowing them to obtain passwords and pictures that they are using to blackmail the families. Hospital Scalpers in Beijing are a widespread problem in which individuals make money by persuading others to seek medical care at a specific hospital. Initially, they damage the reputation and profession of the actual hospital, instilling distrust in you, and you will believe them. They will lead you to their preferred clinic, where the personnel will do several needless and costly tests.

Brazil​

Scammers congregate in Brazil. Brazil has been accused of defrauding people by posing as attractive women. Pickpocketing, which was more visible during the 2016 Olympic Games, painted a negative impression. There have also been instances of express kidnappings near foreign money exchange institutions.

Pakistan​

Military scams are becoming so prevalent that many law enforcement agencies have issued an alert. Scammers employ high-ranking authorities and masquerade as military personnel on online dating services and social networks, engaging in relationships whose sole purpose is to steal people's pictures, which they would subsequently use to deceive others.
Scammers are now posing as soldiers stationed in Pakistan, and they will discover a method to persuade you to pay money to them. Criminals also plant a virus on your computer that allows them to steal anything on it while blackmailing you into sending them money.

Indonesia​

Indonesian con artists are digitally adept, allowing them to deceive others without their knowledge. From the year 2000, the number of fraud instances has grown; bank clients have been defrauded by syndicates that have unlawfully put data-capturing equipment in bank machines.

Venezuela​

Since the country's economy collapsed, there have been a slew of scams varying from dating apps to phony government bonds. The street value of the dollar has risen to 7 times the government's value of VEF6.3 per dollar. Consumer prices increased by 800 percent in 2016, and the economy shrank by 18.6 percent. This resulted in widespread unemployment, as well as bare shelves at local businesses. The combination of these elements, as well as others, resulted in huge scamming operations.

South Africa​

South Africans were the most impacted by banking-related scam in 2015, according to research from the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Cyber Security. The majority of these incidents were reported in Gauteng province, and involved phishing, accessing faked financial websites, and getting bogus SMS alerts of bank withdrawals or payments.

Philippines​

Aside from the typical romantic scams, the Philippines has taken it a step further. One of the most frequent schemes is known as the familiar face, in which someone approaches you and says you seem familiar, prompting them to tour you around, where you are subsequently stolen.
Another method they rob you is through horse trading. You agree on a price with the rider, and they switch shifts halfway through the journey, at which point the entrant arrives and pays nearly ten times the initial amount.

Romania​

Romania sank into poverty and corruption when communism fell. Romania has developed a reputation for effective online scams over the years. Scammers have used online dating, phishing, and the sale of non-existent items to deceive unsuspecting individuals. Romanian online con artists utilize tried and true tactics to defraud you; they aren't necessarily on the A- list, but they always work.

Conclusion​

People who are in need of money, often resort to unlawful methods to make money. However, you should be aware that haste is a waste of time and might get you into problems. People are adopting new techniques to operate fraudulent scams when the world grows or changes fast. Scamming has become a global problem in recent years. Scamming has become a billion-dollar sector as the E-Commerce industry has grown. People are now sending money through the Internet rather than giving it over.
 

The Scam Artist Playbook: How scammers confuse your brain, so you say 'yes'​

According to the FTC, $5.8 billion was lost in nearly three million fraud scams in 2021




According to the Federal Trade Commission, $5.8 billion was lost in nearly three million fraud scams in 2021 alone, and those are only the incidents that people actually reported.

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NerdWallet-Millennial Money-Contactless Payment

By: Kirsten Johnson
Posted at 9:42 AM, Nov 18, 2022

and last updated 11:25 PM, Nov 18, 2022
PHOENIX — Fraud scams are rampant.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, $5.8 billion was lost in nearly three million fraud scams in 2021 alone, and those are only the incidents that people actually reported.
Many people think they know the red flags and warning signs, so why are known scams still successful?
"They're using psychological principles to target victims, and to manipulate their thinking," said Dr. Emily Bashah, a licensed psychologist, who says scammers master's at manipulating the brain.

Dr. Bashah says scammers and con artists want your pre-frontal cortex to go dark. That's the part of the brain that allows people to think rationally and objectively when making decisions.
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Instead, scammers want the limbic system, where people process emotions, to fire up. Scammers use different tactics to send emotions into overdrive, hoping people act on impulse.
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Scammers often impersonate a person of authority - law enforcement, doctors, or a banking institution - and tape into a person's fear.
That's what happened to Jack. He received a call that he believed was from Navy Federal Credit Union. Jack's caller ID identified the number as Navy Federal Credit Union and the person on the line new Jack's personal details. He thought it seemed legitimate.
The caller claimed to be from the Fraud Division, saying someone was trying to wire $5,000 from Jack's account. Jack remembers some of the questions the caller asked seemed odd, but he shook it off because his money was on the line.
"He talked me into it. Because by now I'm off balance and, quite literally, I wasn't thinking straight anymore," Jack recalled. He said the caller seemed urgent, and felt he needed to act quickly or lose his money.
Jack was scammed out of $10,000.
Fortunately for Jack, Navy Federal Credit Union has returned the funds to his account while it investigates.
Unfortunately, Dr. Bashah warns, fear isn't the only psychological tactics scammers employ.
Scammers appeal to all types of emotions. Crooks can prey on feelings of loneliness as we often see in romance scams, prey on compassion using a tragic story to receive funds, and prey on people's greed by offering a chance to strike it rich through fake giveaways.
Dr. Bashah says there's several psychological principles scammers employ to appeal to various emotions.
The Scarcity Principle
It's a tactic where perpetrators will act as though the potential victim has to act right away. Scammers will claim there's a limited supply, a great deal, or something will be lost if the person doesn't take immediate action.
The Foot in Door Technique
Perpetrators will get a person to say 'yes' to something small - like asking for two minutes of their time. Then, they will ask for a bigger 'yes'. Dr. Bashah says, people have an inherent consistency to want to people please and act in pro-social ways. Once the initial yes is given, a second yes is more likely.
The Door in the Face Technique
Perpetrators will make a request that a person is 99.9% going to say 'no' to - like asking to borrow $100. Once a person says 'no', they will inherently feel bad. Then, the perpetrator will return with a smaller request - asking to borrow $10 - because the target is likely to say 'yes' due to past guilt.
Protecting yourself from potential scams
Dr. Bashah says it's important to return to rational thought. Do what you can to step back and talk to someone you trust.
If you receive a call claiming to be from a company, like your bank, you can hang up. Any reputable company will give you time. Then, call the company from the number on their website to confirm if they are truly the ones contacting you.
Screen your phone calls and filter your emails.
Check in on family and friends, especially if they're older. Create a safe, non-judgmental space to talk about potential scams or finances.
Lastly, if you've fallen for a scam don't feel embarrassed. Scammers are good at what they do, and scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
 
I am sorry people get scammed however a fool and his money is soon parted. I am sorry but when I get a call from Agent Smith from the US Border Patrol and the dude has a thick India accent I have some fun with the call if I have the time to waste their time. If you get a call from one of these and want them off your phone ask them if they are a benchode.
 
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