The Top Scams and Aren't Going Away Anytime Soon

Hundreds of scams take place every minute of every day! Experts say scams aren’t going away anytime soon and millions will continue to become victims. Here are the top five ONLINE scams that rob us of billions of dollars every year. If you’re like me, maybe you look at the list of the top scams and wonder, “ why do people fall for these obvious traps?” As I talk to experts, hear from scam victims, and read scam-related articles, I realize it has nothing to do with intelligence. One thing I realized was this—oftentimes a scammer just happens to talk to a target when they’re highly vulnerable. I’ve written in the past that we put ourselves at risk for scams and fraud when we let our guard down, and that’s easy to do when a situation changes suddenly. Chances are we don’t often think of ourselves as “at risk” or vulnerable. Most of us would like to think we have everything pretty much under control. But a situation can change quickly, and it has nothing to do with our “self-control.” Let me show you some examples of the top scams. Many people are NOT tech-savvy. More than that, they usually don’t run into computer problems. So, if someone suddenly gets a screen pop-up or an email saying that they’re computer has a virus and needs immediate attention, that’s a scary message. If the scam target doesn’t have friends to talk to, they could easily believe they have a computer virus that needs fixing. It’s that vulnerability—they believe they have a serious computer issue—that can quickly make them susceptible to scams and fraud. And that’s why fake-tech support scams are so effective. Here’s another situation where someone’s judgment can be affected. One day, a guy or gal has a wonderful job, makes a good income and life looks bright. Suddenly, that all changes. A company has layoffs or a department gets closed down and employees are let go. Of course, we all know what the pandemic did to the job market! Millions were suddenly out of work and income. With no job and income, out-of-work people desperately look for new opportunities. If they come in contact with a fraudulent job scheme during their job hunt, the job seeker could become another scam statistic. When your life changes, your outlook and priorities often change too. People can go from feeling confident and strong, to feeling vulnerable, lost and worried. Scammers prey on the vulnerable and their scams and fraud can work. Those are not vulnerable today might not have the same frame of mind given a change of circumstances. The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to be aware the tricks scammers use to steal your money or identity. The more you know, the safer you are. Read more…