Millers Forge
Theft can happen, even if you are on guard. You can hardly click through your email inbox without seeing dozens of e-mails saying there is a fabulous new job waiting for you, or you've won the lottery, or there is a problem with your online bank account and you need to click here to fix it. Worse, some of these e-mails masquerade as official communications from your bank or popular web sites. Some of these e-mails are crafted so carefully that it's virtually impossible to tell that they're fakes.
What are these thieves trying to steal from you?
Scammers try to illegally gain cash in two main ways - either riding on your credit or defrauding you out of your money through trickery, and identity thieves who pose as you to gain credit.
The first is fraud, such as the theft of your credit card or bank information. These scoundrels could be retail employees who skim your credit card numbers, or they will phone you and pretend to be bank employees who need to "verify" your information. Before you can say "unauthorized charges", they'll be funding a shopping spree with your hard-earned money.
The second is much more insidious and far-reaching - identity theft. With your name, date of birth, and Social Security Number, identity thieves can do a lot of damage. Imagine what it would feel like to learn that you have a criminal record, even though you've never run afoul of the law. Or that you're a new homeowner, even though you're still living in an apartment. Thieves steal identities and use them to open new lines of credit, buy high-dollar items, apply for government benefits, secure a U.S. citizenship, and much more. The scam can last for years unless you are careful to check your credit information on a regular basis.
Here is a handy guide to the most popular phone and Internet scams going around today. Read through the list and become familiar with the techniques thieves use to try and trick you in giving out your personal information.
Phishing Scams
Phishing is a cute name for a serious scam. The thieves that run this type of con literally toss out bait and hope to catch a victim. The bait is usually an official-looking e-mail from the target's bank, or from some online giant like Ebay or PayPal.
The e-mails inform the victim that an attempt was made to hack their account, and they must now log in and verify their personal information. A handy link to the login page is provided within the text of the e-mail.
But that's where things get shady. You see, the link actually takes you to a look-alike web site complete with the company's corporate logo and standard disclaimers. Once you log in and enter your personal information, the thieves have everything they need to drain your accounts.
Advance Fee E-mail Scams
This type of fraud is popularly known as the Nigerian e-mail scam. But today's scammers aren't just from Nigeria; they can be from any country in the world. These inbox imposters might claim to be bank officials, lawyers, or heirs to a fortune. In fact, they only really have one thing in common: they need you to foot the bill for some sort of advance fee, after which they'll be happy to share millions of dollars with you.
Yes, you read that right. They expect you to either open a bank account or wire them hundreds of dollars to get the financial ball rolling. This scam relies on the thief's ability to forge a relationship with the victim and gain their trust. Good acting (and the promise of millions of dollars) has sucked in many victims over the years. Don't fall for it! As soon as these scammers have access to your money, they'll split. If you've opened a bank account, they'll hijack it and use your information to open new lines of credit for themselves.
Maybe you've received an e-mail informing you that you've won the International Lottery, and need to send in a processing fee before you can claim your millions. Don't believe it. This is just a new format for the same old scam.
If these scams are allowed to progress, something inevitably throws a wrench in the works, requiring more money to be sent. Some unfortunate victims don't realize they've been scammed until their accounts have been emptied.
Just ignore and delete any e-mails you receive that promise you big money for a small initial payment. These scams aren't limited to e-mail; some savvy thieves have gone so far as to set up accounts on social networking sites where they can make more personal contact with their targets. Some even manipulate their victims' emotions by pleading for help, claiming they're in a dire situation. If you play along, your real financial situation will be worse than their pretend one!
Scamming by Mail, Post, or Phone
Yes, offline fraud is still thriving. You could be targeted by phone, text, or even regular mail. The methods vary, but the result is the same: thieves make off with your money and information, and you lose big. Some scams include calls from fake charities, false lenders or credit card companies, or even fraudsters impersonating someone from your own bank.
If you're ever suspicious about a call you've received, hang up and call the company's official number. They'll be able to tell you whether the call was legitimate or not.
We like to think that identity theft can't happen to us. The sad truth is that it can - and will, unless we take the time to learn how these thieves operate and all the tricks they use to obtain our information. Like the Internet itself, identity theft and financial fraud are constantly evolving. You can go online to research the most recent tricks that scammers are using to rob you blind.
Chris is the editor of CreditIdentitySafe.com, a resource site with tips, news and articles on scams and identity theft. The site provides reviews and offers identity theft protection service comparisons to help keep you, your family and your credit safe.
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