6 Online Scams to be VERY Aware of This Christmas

SYDNEY - Nov. 20, 2017 - PRLog -- We've all heard about the Nigerian Prince who needs to transfer money out of the country and has selected us to send it to. Haven't we? Phone and internet scams are all around us, in fact, they're so common that the ACCC recorded more than 105,000 scams a year, which resulted in losses of more than $84 million. That's only the ones that were reported: many more went unreported, often because the victim was too embarrassed to do so.

So to help you be on the lookout for, and hopefully avoid falling into their blackening pit of online deceit, we've put together a list of 6 most common scams.

1. The Urgent Transfer

What it looks like: You receive an email from a friend, family member or senior staff member telling you they need urgent access to funds. The story adds up (they're probably overseas and short on time).

What's really happening: Their email account has been compromised and you're transferring your money straight into the scammer's bank account.

What can you do to avoid it: Do not reply to that email. Create a new email to that friend and ask them if they are ok, or privately message them on social media.

2. The Mail That Never Came

What it looks like: That credit card you applied for never seemed to arrive.

What's really happening: Scammers accessed your letterbox and intercepted the card before you had a chance to receive it. They've changed the PIN and are now using it for themselves.

What can you do to avoid it: Not much, but contact your bank.

3. The 'Free' WiFi

What it looks like: You're away from home and need to connect your laptop or mobile to the internet. When you search for a connection, you're in luck. There's a free hotspot right nearby.

What's really happening: You've actually just connected to a fake network. This allows a scammer to intercept all network traffic and steal your personal information.

What can you do to avoid it: You should only connect to wifi that you know is legitimate and, if in doubt, pay to access a secure network. You should also make sure your anti-virus software is up to date and your firewall is turned on.

4. The Speeding Fine

What it looks like:  A government body/law enforcement agency, emails you to tell you that your vehicle has been caught speeding. You need to download the photo they've taken to confirm you were driving.

What's really happening: The link you click on downloads ransomware to your computer. You'll have to pay the scammers to get back the files they encrypt.

What can you do to avoid it: Same as #3, this is hard to back out of and will end up costing you a lot of money. Do your research before you click on things you are not sure of.

5. The Computer Problem

What it looks like: You receive a call from your internet service provider. They've detected a virus on your computer and it's sending error messages. The good news is that they can fix it, so long as you give them remote access.

What's really happening:  You've handed control of your computer to a scammer.

What can you do to avoid it: Never hand over remote access to anyone! If it's that bad, take it to the service providers storefront and ask them about it.

6. The Store Voucher

What it looks like:  Social Media scammers post to get you to Like there photo, or Share it if it tugs on your heartstrings, or type Amen then Share, or type the solution then Like.

What's really happening: You've fallen victim to a 'like farming' scam. The page isn't authentic but has been set up to get as many likes as possible. They'll on-sell these likes - and your profile - to other fraudsters, who will start pushing spam posts in an effort to get hold of your credit card data.

What can you do to avoid it: Oh this is so common! If it's not a friends post or a known source, stay away, don't get sucked in by emotions or because you think you are clever enough to know the answer.

AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING . . .

As the world becomes alert to the prevalence of scams, scammers are responding by becoming more creative. So, as these 6 scams start to become less effective, it's likely that newer and more sophisticated ones will take their place.

RULE OF THUMB

Email: Don't open or download any links or attachments that you are unsure of. Research them prior to doing so.

Some emails may seem to come from a reputable name, EG: YourFriend, but when you right-click on that 'from name' you will find the real source, EG: YourFriend <dodgysource@evendodgiercompany.com>

Social Media: Only respond to known posts – friends and businesses that are familiar to you.

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This list was prepared by Your Wealth Vault (http://yourwealthvault.com.au/), an online financial education program where you'll learn how to take control of your finances, step-by-step, identifying where your money is coming from and where it is going. It's called cash-flow budgeting.

Take your FREE Money Personality Quiz (https://www.yourwealthvault.com.au/) to see how your money controls you.