Social Media and Online Scams

The internet has become such an integral part of our daily lives, making many things more efficient. However, this convenience has also been exploited by scammers. Social media and other online platforms are ripe for scams, and it’s not just older people who are falling victim. A recent study revealed that the largest age group targeted and victimized by frauds is teens and young adults.

Here are some warning signs to watch out for while you are online, and some strategies to keep you, your personal information, and your money safe:

Social Media Scams

• Red Flags:

• A social media profile that lacks history, details, and friends.
• Unsolicited messages with links. Especially from someone you don't know.
• Duplicate account of a someone you thought you were friends with already.
• If someone asks you to text them and take the conversation off of social media.

• Stay Safe:

• Be wary of strangers approaching you online. Never send money to someone you have only met online!
• Delete any old social media profiles that you do not use anymore.
• Be careful about what you post. Scammers can put together a lot about you such as birthdays, pet’s names, maiden names, etc., which can lead to various types of scams.
• Change passwords regularly. This makes it harder for scammers to access your accounts.
• Review your privacy settings regularly. The more private your posts, the less likely you are exposed to scammers.

Romance Scams:

Romance scams involve scammers creating fake profiles with fake photos and luring people into online relationships. At some point, the scammer will make up a story about why they need your help and ask you to send money.

• Red Flags

• Be wary of anyone who refuses to meet in person, say they can’t meet because they live out of the country, or whose story has inconsistencies.
• Be wary of anyone whose social media profile has little details, generic photos, or a lack of friends or followers.

• Stay Safe:

• Avoid this scam by never giving money or your personal information to someone you have never met!

Online Shopping

If you enjoy shopping online, be wary of fake websites. A fake store front will offer products at very appealing discounts, steal your credit card or bank information when you order their fake product, and then your product will never come.

• Red Flags:

• No clear return or refund policies.
• The business’s email account is a yahoo or gmail account instead of a business account.
• Unbelievable low prices.
• No clear contact details.
• If you are an online seller, be wary if someone buys something for you and sends you more money than you asked for, or if a buyer wants to buy something at a high price without seeing the item first.

• Stay safe

• Always use secure payment options.

Online Gaming

Scammers that try to scam online gamers will trick players into purchasing fake in-app purchases in their game and then stealing their credit card information.

• Red Flags

• Unsolicited friend requests
• Don't give in to requests for personal information

• Stay Safe

• Avoid clicking on unverified links
• Verify in-app purchases on the game's website before purchasing.

Free App Downloads

A free app might be too good to be true and might actually download malware onto your device.

• Stay safe:

• Research apps before you download them
• Avoid third-party app stores.

Sextortion Scams:

As the name suggests, a sextortion scammer creates an online relationship with its victim, wants to share explicit photos and then will threaten their victim with claims of sharing the photos with family and friends online.

• Stay Safe:

• Never share explicit photos!

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