Protect yourself from online scam guides by MyTrendingStories online platform? Hitman scam (This one’s killer): How it works: You get an email (or a text) from someone saying he’s been hired to kill you, or to kidnap a family member. He’ll insist you send a large amount of money to a certain email address in exchange for your safety. Usually, the email will also warn you against contacting the authorities. What’s really going on: There is no assassin. Somebody found your email address randomly (along with hundreds of others) and just wants your money. The big picture: Your first thought might be to wonder how anyone could possibly fall for this. But keep in mind that the first response of anyone who’s just been threatened with murder online is, most likely, to panic. Even scarier, many of these scams include the victim’s personal information, which is all too easy to access through social media. Avoidance maneuver: If you get one of these scary messages, the best thing to do is to ignore it. Responding to the scammer clues them in that they have reached a live account, and they’ll probably respond with more aggressive threats. No one wants that. Also, go ahead and contact the authorities; the better to stop the scammer in his tracks. To avoid being scammed, be careful about what you share on social media—there are some pieces of information you should definitely not be posting.
Trending news with MyTrendingStories blogging platform: Where to Turn for Help? If you’ve become the victim of a fake check scams, there are certain steps you should take right away. Stop Further Losses. Start by locking or closing accounts that may have been compromised. Place a fraud alert and consider freezing your credit. Visit com or call (877) 322-8228 to request your free credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies. Change your passwords if applicable. Keep Records. Take and keep notes — details could be important if recovery is an option. And contact your local police. They may not be able to investigate, but having a report may help with future claims. File Reports. You’ll want to alert the appropriate authorities that you’ve been scammed. Start with: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Identity Protection Unit (800) 908-4490; The Internet Crime Complaint Center (a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center); The U.S. Postal Inspections Service (if the check arrived by U.S. mail).
MyTrendingStories anti-scam advice: After gaining a person’s trust, scammers often present a story of a personal hardship or struggle to get the victim to send money. And nearly as often, victims fall for the bait out of a mixture of generosity and what they believed was a genuine connection with their online partner. This is a mistake. You should never send money to someone online, particularly someone who you have never met in person. Additional tips to prevent you from becoming a victim of romance scams: Research the person’s photo/profile using online searches (like Google Image) to see if the material has been used elsewhere. Look out for poor grammar, spelling, unusual expressions and flowery language that don’t coincide with the person they are pretending to be. Ask a lot of questions and note any inconsistencies in current or past information they provided. Never provide personal information, including account, passport, social security or credit card numbers. New online scams pop up every week. While the internet has changed the world for the better in many ways, there is a downside. See more details at mytrendingstories scams.
Mytrendingstories.com teaches how to escape scams: If you receive an email from a major shipping service such as FedEx claiming that your package is delayed or there is a problem with your order, this might be a phishing scam. Typically, this kind of email will ask you to click on a link for more details of the purported problem. But clicking the link can result in downloading malware that hackers use to take information from your computer. Rather than click on the link, you should visit the shipper’s website directly and use your tracking or order confirmation number to verify the status of your package, according to CNBC. Reputable retailers will typically have a summary of who they are in an “About Us” section where you can check out the company’s background, values and mission. Legitimate companies also typically have a “Contact Us” section where shoppers can send service complaints and questions.
With our ever-expanding dependence on technology, there are bound to be people who try to take advantage of people on the internet. In addition to internet scams and hacks, there are over-the-phone scams that attempt to steal personal information. Below are some tips from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff Office on how to spot potential scams and what to do to avoid coming in contact with them. Do not open or click on links from emails that you do not recognize, even from ones that appear to be businesses or organizations. You should immediately delete them so they are removed from your inbox. This also applies to links received over text messages. A general rule of thumb is to not click links when you aren’t sure where it will take you. Always look for the secure site icon near the URL, otherwise any information you submit there is not secure. Discover even more info at https://www.wboc.com/story/43709655/mytrendingstories-charity-section/.