Scams

The Internet is a natural breeding ground for scam artists and criminals because it lends itself to anonymity. Perpetrators can hide very effectively by “spoofing” or quickly changing their email address, and/or by using offshore or “zombie” computers. A “zombie” is a computer with a Trojan-horse installed. The Trojan lets the Trojan owner access the computer remotely. Now it can be used as a staging ground for anonymous attacks on other computers. Email spam and bogus websites are often used to perpetrate fraud.

STAY INFORMED
The following is a list of scams and fraud causing victims millions of dollars.

  • NIGERIAN 419 SCAM – Named after its Nigerian criminal code, the “419″ scam has circulated for years through snail mail, fax, and email. The US Secret Service, who refers to it as the Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud, has dedicated an entire section on its Financial Crimes Division page. It calls the crime a growing epidemic. This hoax email, which has too many variants, all appear to have been sent by a deposed African official or a relative of one. The email messages ask its recipients for assistance in transferring or handling a sizable sum of money, offering a corresponding share for such service. Click here to read more.
  • PHISHING – Con artists phish by spamming the world with counterfeit email. Their message appears to come from a widely recognized business like Sprint, America Online, eBay, Yahoo!, American Express, etc. It may even incorporate copies of the company graphics. The objective of Phishing trips is to get into your account, or worse yet, steal your identity. These fake messages urgently request some personal information — your account number, date of birth, Mother’s maiden name, credit card expiration date, etc. Click here to see examples of phishing.
  • FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a division established in 2000 in partnership with the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) to provide the public with a reliable way to report internet-related crimes. It serves as a central hub for collecting, analyzing, and referring cybercrime complaints to appropriate law enforcement agencies. Individuals and businesses can file reports through the IC3 website (www.ic3.gov) if they’ve been victims of online fraud, phishing, ransomware, identity theft, business email compromise, or other internet-based scams. The IC3 processes hundreds of thousands of complaints each year, amounting to billions of dollars in losses, and publishes annual reports and public alerts to raise awareness. To file a complaint, users simply visit the website, submit relevant information—including dates, suspect details, and evidence—and IC3 forwards credible leads to federal, state, or local law enforcement for further investigation.

TIPS TO AVOID BEING A VICTIM OF FRAUD

  • If you receive an unexpected e-mail saying your account will be shut down unless you confirm your billing information, such as a Social Security number, do not reply or click any links in the e-mail body.
  • Before submitting financial information through a Web site, look for the “lock” icon on the browser’s status bar. It means your information is secure during transmission.
  • If you are uncertain about the information, contact the company through an address or telephone number you know to be genuine.
  • If you unknowingly supplied personal or financial information, contact your bank and credit card company immediately.
  • Monitor credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges.
  • Suspicious e-mail can be forwarded to uce@ftc.gov, and complaints should be filed with the state attorney general’s office or through the FTC at http://www.ftc.gov/.
  • Consumers should also report fraudulent or suspicious e-mail to their Internet service provider.