Have you been scammed? There are growing reports of individuals who have been victimized by online scamming. Mass media and social media are now floating numerous articles and journals about new victims of fraud and online scamming activities. For victims, it is a heartbreaking scenario because they never thought that they fell victim to various online scamming activities. Every day, there are victims who lose their money and their products to scammers and swindlers that use an online tool to gain self-interest.
Online scam is now rampant on the internet. This new mode of criminal activity has been continuously established by con-artists in order to take advantage against others. Their manipulative behavior is very intense that they can actually invade the ignorance of other innocent victims to join their illegal activities. Scamming is considered illegal but not regulated by the law due to improper monitoring of online activities that involves criminal acts. In return, many online users opted not file charges because online scamming activities are difficult to solve.
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| Online transactions are now made easy, attracting online scammers |
An online scam is a fraudulent activity wherein a perpetrator offer a product or a service to potential clients. Once that the client have already been enticed to purchase the product or service through the process of persuasion, they eventually lend their trust to the criminal. After the trust has been established, electronic transactions take place, wherein the victim will be sending money to the criminal. But when the money has already been sent, the criminal will immediately cut their communication ties with the victim, realizing that the innocent person has fallen as a victim to the recent online-scam activities.
Safety guides to prevent online scam
1. Do not just trust anybody: Meeting different persons online is similar to meeting strangers along the street. You really don't know which among the strangers who you meet online have the cleanest or sincerest intentions. Online is more restricted and discreet as compared to personally meeting strangers along the streets. This is the best way not to open more opportunities for you to be lured by cyber criminals to start their criminal activities or intents.
2. Never release any personal information: Cyber criminals are always looking for conventional ways not to be caught online. This is made by accessing your personal information while engaging in online transactions with their bogus products. When they are already successful in obtaining your personal information, they can start using it as their own. Online theft is rampant online, which makes you a victim of identity theft by online scammer after they have scammed their victims.
3. Avoid rush transactions: Scammers are seeking for victims who are overexcited to buy products online, believing that it is more convenient. However, clients who are rushing to buy products or avail services are likely to be victimized. The reason behind is that they are unable to scrutinize their merchants. They are willing to immediately put their money on uncertain product or merchant without investigating their background. After paying, buyers didn't realize that they have already been scammed online because the product will never be delivered to them.
4. Always investigate the background of the seller: There are numerous merchants who are always initiating online transactions. However, you are still responsible for your transactions by determining if the sellers are legit. A seller must have their online stores that are registered and legally operating. You should look for testimonials that confirm past transactions made by the seller. In addition, the seller is always willing to show their real identities online.
5. Stop transacting clients selling few products: If you are eager to purchase any products of your choice online, seek for merchants who offers a variety of products. Merchants who are just selling a few items, you are likely to be talking to a bogus seller. Scammers only intend to lure unsuspecting buyers this is the reason why they are not focused on offering several products because it would be a waste of time for them to expose their unrealistic products or services online.
6. Analyze headline of merchants: Online scamming reveals their true nature if you observe that their advertisements do not have an organized thought. There is a questionable implied headline that indicates their selling activities contradicts to some statements that they publish to online buying or selling websites. If you observe that something is fishy going on with their headlines or contents of their selling information description, phase them out and proceed to a much more reliable and credible seller.
7. Confirm the real identities of clients: Real identities can be confirmed when the client is willing to lend their personal information with sellers. These include bank accounts, online banking statements, a government issued identification cards, legally operating businesses. If the merchant is only showing their identities through the identification card that is different from the bank statement or business name, there is something wrong with their identities that they are hiding something from their clients.
*Always remember, your financial safety should be always secured. Keeping away from scrupulous sellers online is one of the best ways to prevent yourself from being scammed from fraudulent activities. Going after cyber criminals is similar to catching a needle in a haystack, rather than being physically harmed by a stranger whom you already seen and communicated.
