Outright requests for money: Scammers might start small and even pay you back to build trust. However, it wouldn't be long before they would ask for far more -- and then vanish. Requests might be made to purchase a flight or travel to see you, pay off customs charges, buy a new...
Every week, Euless police detective John Haecker hears a new version of the lies people tell to steal from strangers.
Scammers love to take on the identities of professionals that inspire trust but often have to work abroad for extended periods of time, such as members of the military, aid workers, or diplomats. These provide them with excuses that don’t raise eyebrows in the context of their profession su...
Task one: transfer money to scammers For the first few days in a new job the employee is likely not quite up to speed, yet keen to appear so in the eyes of colleagues and superiors. And this can lower the new employee’s vigilance: they hastily carry out most any task without stoppin...
How scammers prefer to get free moneydoi:10.1016/S0262-4079(18)30686-9Stokel-Walker, ChrisNew scientist
Sometimes, scammers will create a fraudulent GoFundMe page or other fundraising account and ask for money. In the case of an earthquake scam, the GoFundMe might look like an individual who is raising money and promises to donate that money to charity. The same user could also use Facebook’...
According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), scammers (or even legitimate but deceptive recovery business) will typically ask victims for money upfront before they can start on the case. They’ll make it seem legitimate by calling it a special name: ...
Crooks are always looking for new ways to scam unsuspecting taxpayers. Scammers impersonate the IRS by phone or email, in person, or by mail or delivery service – and cost people their time and money. By staying vigilant against schemes and scams, taxpayers can protect themselves. Scam...
Now, you might ask, "Why go through all the trouble?" After all, the scammers already had access to the victim's bank account. Can't they just transfer the money directly to their account? They don't do that because most banks and financial institutions are aware of such scams. ...
'Don't be fooled by unexpected emails about big refunds, tax bills or requesting personal information,' said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.