From obvious to very cunning schemes: how scammers in the USA swindle money from us
Every year, millions of people fall victim to money transfer scams. Edition Finder told what to pay attention to so that your money is safe.
The most common money transfer scams always involve at least one of:
- просьба от человека, которого вы никогда не видели — кто-то в кризисной ситуации, и денежный перевод является единственной приемлемой формой помощи;
- paying money to get more money back.
Type of fraud, what to look for and what to do:
- афера с Venmo — кто-то «случайно» отправляет вам деньги через Venmo, Cash App, Zelle и подобные приложения; не возвращайте свои деньги, попросите отправителя отменить транзакцию;
- онлайн-покупки — просят деньги вперед; не платите вперед, попросите встретиться или договориться об оплате после;
- лотерея и розыгрыши — необходимо заплатить комиссию, чтобы получить свой приз; игнорируйте эти сообщения, вы ничего не получите;
- «выйти из тюрьмы» — человек, утверждающий, что он ваш знакомый, просит вас перевести деньги под залог; никогда не отправляйте денежный перевод, пока не подтвердите, что знаете получателя;
- «гарантированные» кредиты — запрос на оплату до получения кредита; денег вы не получите, ничего не отправляйте;
- фишинг — запрос личных данных по электронной почте (банковские счета, пароли, SSN); не отвечайте и не переходите по ссылкам, перешлите письмо на [email protected];
- поддельные чеки — получение чекового платежа с просьбой перечислить разницу обратно отправителю; отнесите его в свой банк, чтобы проверить, настоящий он или поддельный;
- таинственный покупатель — вам прислали чек вместе с приветственным письмом и попросили отправить денежный перевод обратно; не обналичивайте денежный перевод, игнорируйте это предложение;
- благотворительная деятельность — запросы на пожертвования от поддельной благотворительной организации, выдающей себя за настоящую; никогда не подтверждайте такие переводы;
- большое наследство или выигрыш — кто-то связывается с вами, чтобы вручить крупную сумму денег, и ему нужна информация о вашем банковском счете, чтобы помочь оплатить сборы; никогда не предоставляйте свою финансовую информацию;
- «застрявший путешественник» — знакомый человек утверждает, что у него проблемы, и просит вас отправить наличные; никогда не отправляйте денежный перевод, пока не подтвердите, что знаете получателя;
- онлайн-свидание — часто мошенники знакомятся с кем-то в интернете, и после того, как вы почувствуете связь, они попросят вас перевести деньги; никогда не отправляйте деньги тому, кого вы не видели лично.
More about each type of fraud
"Random" money transfer
You receive a transfer through Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a similar service from someone you don't know. The amount of this transfer may vary, but will likely be in the hundreds of dollars. After the transfer, you will receive a message that it was sent by accident and the sender will ask you to return the money. You want to do the right thing, so you give them back a "random" amount of the transfer, only to find out later that you never received the transfer in the first place, and now you've lost several hundred dollars or more.
On the subject: Phone scammers can deprive you of all your savings: how to protect yourself
What to do: do not return the money. Chances are the original transfer they sent you was paid for with a stolen credit card and it will cancel itself. Instead, ask the user who "accidentally" sent you money to cancel the transaction on their part, or ask them to contact the platform directly for help.
Online shopping fraud
You have found the apartment of your dreams, but you are asked to pay an advance payment for the first month. Or there are taxes that you need to take care of in the first place by money transfer. Your car search may have paid off with an incredible deal, but there are application fees that you need to cover with a bank transfer. While many online stores are legitimate, scammers use your online anonymity to rob you. This includes asking for money even before you have received the item. Before you know it, they will be gone - along with your money.
What to do: be wary of anyone on the internet who tells you they need upfront deposits or payments, especially if you haven't met them yet and don't have a contract. And if someone on the internet says you can only pay by bank transfer or money order, find another seller.
Scams with lotteries and sweepstakes
What a luck! You have received an email stating that you have won a prize. Or maybe you've been contacted about a lottery you've won. It's a lot of money, and there's only one catch: you first need to pay a commission or cover taxes to get it. The amount is small, about $1000. Sure, it's worth it to get what you're owed, but no!
What to do: you never have to pay up front to claim a prize or win a lottery. This alone should be cause for concern. But if you're interested, research the organization or company you received the letter from to see what others have to say. If this sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Scam "get out of jail"
The email or phone call could be from someone claiming to be an acquaintance of yours, or from someone claiming to be a lawyer or a police officer who is calling on behalf of your acquaintance. This person will require you to transfer money for bail.
What to do: never send money without verifying the identity of the recipient. If you are concerned that you may leave someone to their fate, find out the details of where your acquaintance is allegedly being held, and then try to contact the person through friends, family members and check the contact information you had before the call.
Scams with "guaranteed" loans
You receive a letter stating that you are guaranteed a loan or credit card approval. There is only one last task before you can get it: transfer application money or taxes.
What to do: you never have to send money to get a genuine credit card or loan. Instead of sending money, research the company that sent you the email. You are more likely to find warnings from others about scams.
Phishing adventures
You open your computer and receive an email from your bank asking you to verify your account number. Or it could be an online store that needs to verify your password. Sometimes it's a link from the email service provider itself asking you to click and double-check your details.
What to do: не поддавайтесь обману выдавая какую-либо личную информацию. Имейте в виду, что законный банк, продавец или другой поставщик услуг никогда не отправит вам электронное письмо с просьбой подтвердить вашу личную информацию, финансовые данные или пароль. Это называется «фишинг», и вы не должны отвечать или нажимать какие-либо ссылки в электронном письме — вместо этого просто перешлите его на специальный адрес электронной почты Федеральной торговой комиссии [email protected].
Fake check tricks
Just because you're an online seller doesn't mean you're safe from scammers. You may have received a check for more than the value of your item, with a simple request to refund the difference. The check is most likely counterfeit, so you will have to pay both the money you transfer and the return fee.
What to do: if you receive a check, do not cash it. Take it to your bank or authorities for verification.
Mystery shopper scams
You may be contacted about an exciting new job: becoming a mystery shopper at a local retail chain. A money order will be sent to you along with the welcome letter, but only the amount is more than it should be. When you contact the number on your email, you are told to go and cash it out and then just send a money order for the excess. Better yet, send a bank transfer to get the money back to the company faster.
What to do: this is another variant of fake check scam. Do not cash out a money order. And better lose that fake company number instead of losing your hard earned money.
Charity swindle
Disasters bring out the best in people. But along with this, scammers who prey on altruists are becoming more active. Be wary of emails asking for cash or bank transfer donations to cover expenses.
What to do: research information about charities, such as the Charity Navigator website. Since some scammers use names that are very similar to well-known and reputable organizations, do a Google search for the exact name in your email. And never transfer money to anyone claiming to be charitable. It is best to pay by check or credit card.
Inheritance scam
While this is the butt of many jokes, the "wealthy relative" scam is even more successful today than it was a decade or two ago. The crooks contact you and promise you a large amount of money. They claim that if you help them by providing your bank account information or money to pay fees, you will be rewarded.
What to do: this is just another prepaid scam. Never give out your financial information or send money to anyone you don't know.
Tricks with the "stranded traveler"
This includes an email from friends who frequently travel abroad who are in trouble and need an immediate money transfer to get back home. The amount is almost always around $1000, and it might even look like the transfer request came from a friend's real email address. Except it's not really your friend - his account was phishing hacked.
You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York
What to do: be wary of any email from a friend in trouble abroad. Try to connect with them or confirm their location on a social network. As with other types of fraud, never transfer money without being sure you know the recipient.
Internet theft
Another tricky and therefore popular fraudulent method is related to someone you met on the Internet through a dating app. Often this person wants to immediately leave the site for more intimate personal communication. He may claim to be working abroad and plans to come soon. For a while, you begin to believe that there is a strong connection. And then this person asks you to transfer some money.
What to do: Don't send money to anyone you don't know. You can ask for a face-to-face meeting, even if it seems impossible - refusal will be a clear sign that the person is not who they say they are. If you received a photo via email, consider using a reverse photo search to see if you can confirm the name you were given. This person may have many names attached to the photo. Again, this is a clear sign that you are dealing with a scammer.
How to protect yourself from thieves
To avoid becoming a victim of bank transfer fraud, follow a few basic principles:
- never transfer money to strangers;
- оплачивайте услуги кредитной картой — в таком случае у вас будет возможность обратиться за помощью, если что-то пойдет не так;
- be careful with spam email. Your email, financial and other service providers will never send you emails to verify personal information or passwords;
- проверяйте информацию — мошенники берут давлением и спешкой. Притормозите — быстрый поиск в интернете часто может подтвердить ваши подозрения.
What to do if you become a victim of scammers
If you suspect that you have been the victim of a money transfer scam:
- call the local police. Write a statement to the police for the amount that was stolen from you;
- file a complaint with the FTC. Call toll-free 877-382-4357 or file a complaint online;
- contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Many online seller websites, such as eBay, have their own protocol for reporting and dealing with scammers. If you did make the money transfer, you can alert your money transfer company of your situation so they are prepared for any future complaints.
While it's hard to accept that you might have been the victim of someone else's wrongdoing, try not to be too hard on yourself. Bank transfer fraud is on the rise day by day, so the schemes are constantly evolving. By reporting this and being open about your experience, you help others recognize the scammers and put an end to their activities.
Read also on ForumDaily:
Seven Weird Rules All Costco Employees Must Follow
Breathtaking: Must-Have Places in Southern California
Coffee is good for memory: Harvard scientists told how to drink it to improve brain function
Profitable and exciting: stories of Americans who moved to cruise ships
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google NewsDo you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.
-
The 25 most dangerous drinks for health: many we drink every day0
-
Bulgakov's stories about death and inheritance from a Russian-speaking lawyer in the USA0
-
Jewish Federations of North America have awarded dozens of grants to help Holocaust survivors and seniors0
-
Trump says US will face 'bloodbath' if he loses election0
-
School shooter's father found guilty of his son's murders0
-
6 more years of Putin: presidential elections were held in Russia0
-
An Arizona community is allowing free mini-homes for those who need it.0
-
The five most contaminated places on a plane that are best not to touch0
-
Amazon is having a big spring sale: up to 50% off0
-
The plane began to fall sharply in the middle of the flight: 50 people were injured0
-
Free flights and business class: what bonuses do children of airline employees receive?0
-
Features of American real estate, and why there are no fences0
-
Trump says US will face 'bloodbath' if he loses election0
-
Oscar-nominated Ukrainian film collects film awards: what you need to know about the documentary '20 days in Mariupol'0
-
12 best US beaches for family and romantic holidays0
-
An American military man leaked secret data to a Ukrainian woman he found on a dating site.0
-
Actor Alexander Shirvindt, the king of phlegmatic humor, has died0
-
Five typical reasons for rejecting an application for naturalization0
-
When can you see the fire falls in Yosemite: a calendar of the best days to visit the famous park0
-
Mind-blowing stories about time travel: many believed them, but they turned out to be lies0