Cops

The internet allows us to reach out to the world, however it also allows the world to enter your home, which can put you at risk of being scammed or defrauded. Fraud is the intentional act of deceit designed to reward the perpetrator or to deny the rights of a victim. It is a criminal offence, and the word scam is just another name for fraud.

Fraudsters have embraced the internet and are often using fraudulent identities, some of which have been stolen from legitimate people who may not even know their social media account has been hacked. Sometimes basic checks don’t raise any red flags, and the real identity is none the wiser.

Some of the more common scams include get-rich-quick schemes, miracle health products, competitions and lotteries, pyramid schemes, loan and investment scams, work from home schemes, receiving money from a third-world country, relationship or romance fraud, sports betting investments, general investment opportunities, inheritance schemes, phone calls offering goods or services, and deals where you help someone in need by receiving money into your bank account and then forwarding it onto another person.

The basis for the internet fraud is that you are the one sending money to another person that you’ve not met in person, with the expectation of either meeting them in the future, or receiving some sort of reward, goods purchased, improved health or some other type of reward.

A fraudster’s first goal is to start a conversation with you and find out more about your personality and aspirations. They are not doing this because they are friendly or desperately trying to make you rich; they are doing it to find a strategy to get your money! They aim to build your trust, and once they have it, they will manipulate you into their scheme.

Some fraudsters will claim to be from banks, senior executive officers or foreign government officials and may ask for your help to place large sums of money in overseas bank accounts in return for more money.

The best defence to protect yourself against fraud is to challenge what you’ve been told. Be suspicious of opportunities that present themselves to you. Do not trust what is being told is true and do your own research.

If you think you’ve been scammed, act fast to prevent further losses.

Please contact your bank or card provider immediately, report the scam and ask them to stop any transactions.

To help recover, contact IDCARE ph:1800 595 160 or go to their website for more information: https://www.idcare.org/

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