SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Gift Card Scams The BBB is warning people about emails offering help to check their gift card balances. If you receive one of these emails, do not click open or click links within. Scammers use these emails websites in order to get your card number and PIN in order to drain your account. The BBB offers the following tips to avoid gift card balance scams: Go to the retailer's website: If you need to check a gift card balance, go to the site listed on the back of the card itself. If there is none, go to the website of the company and look for a link to the gift card page. Use gift cards right away: A good way to avoid scams and other issues is to simply use gift cards soon after you receive them. Examine the gift card before buying: Before purchasing a gift card, be sure to give it a thorough look to make sure the PIN isn't exposed, or the packaging hasn't been tampered with. Register your gift card with the retailers: If the retailer allows the option to register your gift card, take full advantage. registering your gift card makes it easier to keep track of any misuse occurring, that way you can report it sooner and potentially end up saving the money that is stored.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Fortnite Scam Fortnite: Battle Royale has more than 125 million players worldwide, and that tremendous pull extends to hackers and scammers too. Players and parents should pay attention as Fortnite creator Epic Games is warning gamers about the most common Fornite scam involving "free V-bucks." Scammers offer free or discounted v-bucks, the in-game currency, to help players elevate their game. What can result in identity theft, downloading malware on a device or having your money stolen.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Airbnb Scam This scam takes advantage of travelers renting an apartment or house through Airbnb by featuring fake homes on the site and directing the renter to a fraudulent or "spoof" website to finalize payment. Scammers will often even trick real owners, who don't know their property is being spoofed. Potential travelers end up paying money for a rental property that either doesn't exist or isn't available.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Apple Care Scam This new smartphone scam uses phishing emails to send Apple users to a fake Apple website. iPhone users receive a pop-up image of a system dialog box that tells users their phone has been "locked for illegal activity." When users click on the link, scammers enroll them into a fraudulent "mobile device management service" that allows scammers to send malware apps to iPhones. Read more here about phishing scams and how to spot them.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Car Scams The FBI shared information on a growing scam in which crooks target people looking to buy cars and other vehicles online. The FBI has received 26,967 complaints with losses totaling $54,032,396 since tracking this issue from May 2014 through December 2017. This car scamstarts with a criminal posting an online advertisement with a low price to get the attention of a buyer, including photos of the vehicle and contact information. When a buyer reaches out, the "seller" sends more photos and what appears as a logical reason why the price is discounted and indicates a need to sell. The criminal then instructs you to purchase prepaid gift cards in the amount of the sale and share the prepaid codes. You're usually told you'll receive the vehicle in a couple of days, but victims never hear from the scammers again.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Death Threat Hoax The FBI has warned consumers about death threats being made through emails that state "I will be short. I've got an order to kill you." The email then demands money or bitcoin as a payout from the email recipients. Other versions of the scam could state that a "hitman has been hired to kill" them. This scam is very aggressive and threatening in nature to convince people that they have to pay or else.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Fake Bank Apps Scammers will spoof the apps of big banks in order to separate you from your money. A recent survey by Avast, a multi-national cybersecurity firm, found that one in three worldwide users mistakenly believed that a fake mobile banking app was the real thing, putting their financial data at risk. Thieves use the big customer base of major banks to try to get past the secure app stores and collect personal information.

Scam FAQ: How To Spot A Scam How Can I Tell If Something Might Be A Scam? It’S Probably A Scam If Someone: Makes an offer that sounds too good to be true; Promises that you can win money, make money, or borrow money easily; Asks for money to enter a contest, win a sweepstake or lottery, or claim a prize; Refuses to send you written information before you agree to buy or donate; Refuses to give you a physical address; Refuses to give you the details of the offer before you make any payment; Requests your bank account or credit card number when you are not making a purchase with that account; Uses scare tactics or pressure to act immediately; Insists that you wire money or have a courier pick up your payment; Refuses to stop calling after you’ve asked not to be called again; Contacts you to ask for personal information the company already has. Gives you a check or money order and asks you to send some of the money somewhere.

Scam FAQ: How To Spot Wire Transfer Fraud What Are The Warning Signs Of Wire Transfer Fraud? Know How To Recognize The Warning Signs Of Wire Transfer Fraud: Someone that you have never met in person is asking for money. This is the biggest red flag for fraud. If you’re in a long-distance relationship with someone you’ve never met in person, be wary of possible fraud, if they start asking for money. The reality is: fraudsters are professionals and they’ll do whatever it takes to get their hands on your cash. When it comes to that new love, overseas inheritance or investment opportunity, it’s worth the cost of the plane ticket to ensure it’s legit. If you can’t meet them in person, you should think twice before sending your money. You receive an email that claims you’ve won a jackpot but you have to pay fees before you can receive the prize. The reality is: the fraudsters are the ones hitting the jackpot. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You see an ad online for a great deal, but you’re required to transfer the money right away to receive the product. The reality is: the product doesn’t exist and they just want your money. While many people use wire transfers to pay for luxury items, it’s worth checking the reputation of the seller, if you’re transferring a large sum. You get a job as a mystery shopper but they send you a check for more than what you’re owed. You’re asked to send the excess funds back via wire transfer. The reality is: this is just a clever way to steal your cash, as the check is probably fake. You receive an email from someone pretending to be your bank or other service provider saying you need to update your security info. The reality is: as soon as you click the link, you’re vulnerable to malware. Phishing emails that try to steal your information or get you to wire money will often contain a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. The email might not address you by name, and it comes from a suspicious and unrecognizable source. It will probably ask you to provide financial information or to verify it, but if you hover over a URL, you’ll see that it will take you to a suspicious and unknown website. Don’t click on any links within these emails; instead, just delete them and block the sender. You receive an email or a phone call that claims the IRS wants you to pay back taxes, and you need to transfer your money or you’ll be arrested. The reality is: the IRS will formally contact you by mail rather than by phone, and they won’t be asking for your payments by credit card or by wire transfer either.

SCARS FAQ:

Q: Amazon Fake Order Cancellation Emails?

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Amazon Fake Order Cancellation Emails If you get an email about an order cancellation from Amazon.com, there's a good chance it's a scam. Click on links in the email and you could unintentionally download malware onto your device. Or you might be sent to a site that aims to collect your Amazon account information, like your username and password. If you receive such an email and recently placed an order, go to Amazon.com to check your order status.

Q: Cryptocurrency Scams?

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Cryptocurrency Scams As the price and popularity of Bitcoin and other cyber-currencies skyrocketed in late 2017, scammers eagerly sought to take advantage of the frenzy. The Japanese Bitcoin exchange Coincheck was hacked in January, and the thieves were able to steal more than $500 million in cryptocurrencies. This is the largest cryptocurrency hack to date. Facebook and Instagram have banned advertisements for certain bitcoin, initial coin offerings (ICOs), and some other cryptocurrency-related products because of deceptive and misleading practices. Several ads were leading victims to sites such as Prodeum, whose only purpose was to take their money and not provide the advertised service.

Q: What Is A Romance Scam?

Scam FAQ: What Is A Romance Scam Romance Scams are an international crime that usually involves a fake identity to fool a person into engaging in a massively manipulated romantic relationship. Romance Scams do not happen because the victim was stupid, they happen because the scammer socially engineered a set of conditions to trap the victim. Romance Scams can happen to anyone since it is based upon triggering the victim's own brain against them then sustaining the scam through spy-craft style manipulation. Romance Scams don't just happen to sad lovely people, they can happen to anyone, even people that are married - anyone can be scammed. Romance Scams victims cannot simply get over it, they involve deep-seated trauma that can result in PTSD or other disorders and professional help may be required. Romance Scams are a major challenge to law enforcement worldwide since it involves international treaties and extradition, and the host nations in Africa benefit from the influx of money. Romance Scams began in the early 1990's and have grown into an industry rivaling the illicit drug industry, and they help support human trafficking and terrorism. Romance Scams require a globally concerted effort both at the grassroots level to help educate others, and at the governmental level to improve laws and treaties to promote greater enforcement. Romance Scams can be stopped with education and safe habits online, and the diligent efforts of people just like you! Copyright © 2018 SCARS

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