Internet Scams and Hoaxes

[charleychacko]

I got an email today from the son of a wealthy African farmer.  His father had just been murdered.  He wanted my bank account number â€" to transfer $8.5 million out of the country.  For this service, I would receive a 10% transaction fee.  WOW!  Lucky me?  …NOT!

The Internet has become the latest means for people to misrepresent the truth, create fantastic offers, and spread falsehoods.  The difference between the Internet and traditional scam methods is the speed with which scam artists can spread the information to those they prey upon.

The criminals behind these scams are constantly devising new ways to part you from your money.  So, what’s the best way to identify a scam?  If it looks to good to be true, it probably is!

The African farmer scam is just one of thousands of fraudulent schemes.  Others include chain letters, work-at-home schemes, health and diet schemes, credit repair scams, and vacation prize promotions.   For more information, visit these Websites.

www.scamwatch.com
www.scambusters.org
www.techtv.com/cybercrime
www.quatloos.com

For scam victims, the Internet Fraud Control Center provides a way to alert authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation.  For law enforcement agencies, IFCC offers a repository for complaints related to Internet fraud, and provides data on current fraud trends.  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Hoaxes -- One of the most common email hoaxes involves the request to forward an email on to as many people as possible in the hopes of either getting money or winning a prize. 

Remember - no matter how legit it may sound - whether involving a company merger or a dying child - it could be a hoax.

There have been some spectacular hoaxes, like the email from Microsoft offering you $100 for every person you forward the email to.  Among the Websites that catalog the thousands of hoaxes are:

www.truthorfiction.com
www.hoaxkill.com
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login