Online Scam
According to the Webster Dictionary, scam means “fraudulent, deceptive act or operation”. Scams do not differ as purpose, either online or offline. They all target one's identification, financial information and ultimately, one's money. The victims have to fight years, to clear their name, credit and most often, they cannot recuperate their financial loss. People are more aware on how to defend themselves from an offline scam and many avoid contact with all the sales people they do not know.
The online scams are more sophisticated and more attractive. Particularly, since the internet opened the door to outrageous wealth for so many, people are more likely to believe an internet ad, either displayed on a website or in an email. The deteriorating economy, all over the world also pushes people to look into additional income opportunities. This makes people more likely to open an email or a website that has no other purpose but to rip them off. Sometimes, you do not even need to do more than to open such a document. Just by opening it, a virus may take over your computer, get access to all the information stored on it and it will even send fraudulent email, in your name, from your own computer.
There are a whole lot of scams online: dating, work at home, talent promotion, investing, forex, big business, seniors, fellowship, mortgage, medical, insurance, and the list may cover whatever you can think of and can be displayed, on the internet. There are also scams named by the country of origin, like the Nigerian scam. To avoid them, just your instinct is not enough. You may look at websites and emails and find them very credible. You may join social networking sites and for the sake of popularity, you may display information that, otherwise, you would not even mention, to your neighbors.
Publicly, display your whereabouts, as little as possible. Robbers may have the eyes on your Facebook profile, for example. Not only your money or information but even your life may be at risk... Do not use you GPS, on your cell phone, more than it is necessary. If you want to join an online business, with start up investment, search for it, on Google. If the business is a scam, you will find links to direct you at anti-scam websites. There, you will find the truth, from real people. If you want to make an online payment, make sure that the payment web page displays the correct domain, starting with “https” and not “http”, in the address. That “s” stands for “secure”. Use “anti-phishing” software or a secure browser, like Firefox. Run your antivirus and antispyware, daily. Allow yourself to receive email, only from people in your address book.
Keep in mind that there are real people, behind any email and website you see and like in your every day life, people online may be good or bad.
