Right. Most phishing starts with hackers breaking into an account and trying to persuade people to click on a link. It's a common problem on social networking sites. Keep an eye out.
Yep. They could be trying to steal your identity or worse. The kind of people who pull stunts like this are the kind of people you want to avoid at all costs.
Correct. Heartbreaking as their stories may sound, odds are they're just trying to rob you. Plus, when you wire money internationally, it can be difficult to trace where the funds actually are going. Best to just hang up.
Got it. When hackers break into an account, they often post links on the victim's friends pages. If it doesn't feel like something your friend would normally write or post, delete it.
It's true. Changing your password frequently makes it a whole lot more difficult for hackers to steal it and gain access to your personal info.
You got it. Identity thieves get information they need from discarded bank statements, credit card bills – even those credit card applications you didn't even ask for. Make sure you dispose of all of these things properly.
Right on. Many of these mystery shopper jobs are actually frauds. The check you receive is usually fake, though it looks exactly like a real one. When you send back the "leftover funds," you're actually sending a scammer your own money.
Got it. These "hot stock" emails are just an online version of telemarketing fraud. For some reason, you're not supposed to think it over before you buy into a "can't miss" investment? Just click the "delete" key.
Correct. Banks and legitimate online auction sites like Ebay will never ask you for your account information online. If you're concerned there might be a real problem, call your bank's consumer hotline.
Correct. If you never entered a sweepstakes, how could you have won it? Remember: Not only are the odds of foreign lotteries no better than those based in the United States, but international lotteries are illegal to play in America. Period.
Good call. Nice as their story is, odds are they're trying to scam you. Plus, when you wire money internationally, it can be really difficult to trace where the funds actually are going. Best to just hang up.
Good call. Nice as their story is, odds are they're trying to scam you. Plus, when you wire money internationally, it can be really difficult to trace where the funds actually are going. Best to just hang up.
