With people depending on technology for every day-to-day activity, it has become easier for scammers to reach people for fraudulent activities. Many people get trapped in the scammer’s unbelievable schemes and end up losing their money and trust in online deals. Considering this increase in fraud cases, let’s delve into the most common internet scams and their impact on people. Apart from this, we will also discuss what one can do to prevent or save themselves from such internet scams.
Common Internet Scams, Highlighted At Law 2.0 Conference
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Phishing Scams
In a phishing scam, scammers try to get a victim’s personal information by portraying themselves as an entity from a big organization. Many times, scammers send legitimate-looking emails or messages and ask for the victim’s details claiming for account verification. For this fake verification, they redirect the victim to their scam websites which record the person’s personal data like account number, username, password, and many other details. Once they get access, the scam begins, and the victim doesn’t even realize how it happened. Various lawyers at the Law 2.0 Conference discussed this phishing scam and how people have lost vast amounts of money. After the loss, victims do not take any action; instead, they just change their passwords and tell everyone about it.
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Merchandise Scams
Although online shopping provides various options to the users to shop online. It has become a growing trend among people to shop online and if something doesn’t seem reasonable, return it. Quite easy! But, fraudsters are taking advantage of this online reliability and conducting their scams under the umbrella of genuine shopping sites. It doesn’t mean that these genuine websites are assisting them. It just means that fraudsters use their name to conduct a scam. Many lawyers at Law 2.0 Conference will highlight these scammers use the URLs of the genuine website keeping one or two unnoticeable changes. People who shop online don’t check the URL so keenly and end up shopping from these fake websites. Once a victim shops and enters their details, the scammers get access to their banking accounts. Instead of getting their ordered products, victims face a loss of money and their crucial personal information to these scammers.
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Collection Agency Scams
Scammers are aware of the fact that creditors’ collection agencies can contact the debtor regarding the money collection. They get the details of both parties and abuse the debtor for the money, which is not theirs. Scammers pressurize the debtor to get the money before the real collection agencies come into action. They make frequent calls and messages to the debtor asking for money. Many times, even when the debtor pays their debts off, they end up knowing that it was a scam. Courts witness many such cases where debtors confess that they paid the creditor, who denies the fact. Only after an in-depth investigation the scammers’ act is revealed.
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Romance Scams
Internet fraud lawyers at Law 2.0 Conference have encountered various cases where scammers start a fake relationship with the victim. They meet the victims online, express their love for them, and after enough trust building, ask for money or personal details. Victims who believe it to be love transfer money to these fraudsters or share their details, only to experience a loss of money and trust.
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Work From Home Scams
Making money while sitting at home seems a well-alluring offer to anyone. Scammers know this and thus take advantage of this situation to fulfill their personal needs. Scammers set up their professional profiles on various platforms and provide attractive job opportunities. When the job-seekers show their interest, they take interviews and everything to make it appear legitimate. Once the person signs for the job, they ask them to share their bank details to transfer money after the project. Many employees have reported that they have paid advance fees to these fraudsters, which they said would be returned. Still, nothing happened. Attorneys at Law 2.0 Conference addressed how these scammers take advantage of people’s needs and use them to fulfill their desire for money.
Once we have discussed the common types of internet scams shared by internet fraud lawyers at the Law 2.0 Conference, let’s learn about ways that can be used against these online scams.
Quick Tips Against Internet Scams, Shared At Law 2.0 Conference
- Be Careful When Online
It’s not possible to run away from the online mode of communication, and one can educate themselves about it.
- Stay updated about the typical scammer’s methods to fraud people and prevention measures.
- Don’t fall for something that appears too good to be true.
- Think twice before sharing your personal or banking information.
- Know about your buyer or seller to save from getting into a false trap.
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Update Anti-Virus Softwares
Regularly update your antivirus software and anti-spyware programs. One can set up antivirus software to make automatic updates. Spyware protection is a program that shields your online personal information from malware. One can download or purchase spyware protection if their operating system does not offer it. Downloading spyware protection from online ads is also not a reliable method, as it could be a scammer’s trick. Sometimes, fraudsters try to invade your system or transfer malware with these antivirus software downloads. Always install antivirus or spyware protection from trustworthy sources.
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File A Complaint With FTC
If you ever see yourself being a victim of internet fraud, ask for a refund. If that’s not possible, complain with the Federal Trade Commission or local consumer protection organizations. The FTC further investigates and prosecutes online fraud cases. The fraudsters are charged with online wire fraud and convicted to repay the victim. Also, FTC has implemented many laws and acts against these online frauds. One can feel free to get a better insight into the changes in laws and regulations at the Law 2.0 Conference.
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Get Legal Help
If you’re someone who has been a victim of an internet scam, consult an attorney. Don’t sit back and hope for things to happen. Instead, file a complaint and fight for your rights. If you’re unaware of the laws and acts associated with these online scams, attend a legal conference like Law 2.0 Conference and update yourself.
Law 2.0 Conference Brings Back Focus On Scam Prevention Tools For Law Firms
