COMMON TYPES OF SCAM AND HOW PROTECT YOURSELF
COMMON TYPES OF SCAMS
Accommodation scams
You are asked to pay a deposit by bank transfer to secure a house or apartment from a fake accommodation site.
Antivirus software scams
You get an email or phone call from a company that says your computer has a virus and they can repair it by installing software, but they take over your computer. The software allows them to access your personal information, or they insist you pay them before they return the controls of your computer or files back to you.
Charity scams
Someone asks you to donate to a fake charity or pretends to be from a real charity.
Classified scams
Scammers posing as legitimate sellers on classified websites trick you into payment for fake goods or services.
Copycat websites
Websites offering services from Government departments or local government but are not official sites, promise to make a process faster or easier for an excessive price.
Door-to-door scams
Someone knocks on your door and offers you a product or service, convincing you to pay cash up-front for a service that is never provided.
Fake ticket scams
Fraudsters using the secondary ticket market sell you fake tickets or tickets that don’t exist.
Free trial scams
An advert promoting a product or service invites you to try it out for free or for a very low cost. When you sign up, you may be signing a membership or subscription service that locks you into costly repeat payments.
Holiday rental scams
Fake websites and emails offer you holidays or villas that do not exist. They require you to pay money directly into the fraudsters account.
Investment scams
You or your business are tricked into investing in a questionable financial opportunity, promising a high return or guaranteed profit. Examples are investment in forestry, biofuels or exotic overseas properties.
Loan and credit scams
A company ‘guarantees’ you a loan in return for an upfront fee.
Malware or ransomware
Software is installed by scammers on your device, allowing them to access your files, track what you are doing or demand payment to ‘unlock’ your computer or files.
Mobile phone scams
For example, a 'missed calls' scam, where a scammer calls your phone and hangs up quickly. If you call the number back and it’s a scam, you could pay premium rates for the call without knowing.
Phishing emails
A bogus email, for example pretending to be from your bank, tries to trick you into sharing your personal and financial information.
Prize and lottery scams
You are asked to pay some sort of fee to claim your prize or winnings from a competition or lottery you never entered.
Romance and relationship scams
Fraudsters using dating sites, apps or social media request money, gifts or your personal details.
Sextortion
Scammers send you a threatening email claiming your computer and webcam have been hacked and you have been recorded watching pornographic videos. They demand payment for the footage not to be released.
Smishing attacks
Smishing is a combination of the words “SMS” and “phishing”. It is a scam where fraudsters use mobile phone text messages to trick you into opening a malicious attachment or link. Read more about smishing and how to avoid it in the Central Bank’s explainer.
Social media scams
Fraudsters use social media for scams, including quizzes phishing for your personal details. Scammers can also pose as friends asking for money, or display ads for ‘free’ vouchers and products or services claiming a celebrity endorsement.
How do I know if it's a scam?
Some scams are quite obvious, while others are more elaborate and difficult to recognise. Knowing what to look for and how to avoid scams is the best way to stay safe. Look out for the following signs of a scam:
- Unsolicited contact from a company out of the blue
- A deal that seems too good to be true
- You are asked to share personal details
- You are being pressurised to respond quickly or transfer money quickly
- You have been asked to pay by unusual method, for example through a transfer service like Western Union or virtual currency like Bitcoin
- Contact details are vague
- Misspellings or grammatical mistakes
- You are asked to keep the offer quiet
How can I protect myself?
There are many ways to protect yourself from scams. For example, always:
- Know who you are dealing with. Be alert for suspicious behaviour
- Protect your personal information
- Protect your money
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