Scammers are constantly finding new ways to trick people into giving them sensitive information or money.
In this article, we’ll explore 10 of the most common scams and provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to protect yourself from them. We’ll also share some real-life examples of people who were scammed and the punishments that the scammers received.
Phishing scams: These common scams involve tricking people into giving away their personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, through fake emails or websites that appear legitimate. For example, a phishing scammer might send an email that appears to be from your bank, asking you to login and provide your account information.
Investment scams: Investment scams involve promising high returns on investments with little or no risk. For example, a scammer might offer a “guaranteed” investment opportunity that turns out to be a Ponzi scheme.
Online shopping scams: These scams involve fake online retailers or auction websites that offer products at low prices, but never deliver the goods. For example, a scammer might set up a fake website that sells popular electronic items at a fraction of their retail price.
Work-from-home scams: Work-from-home scams involve promising people the ability to earn a large income from home with little or no effort. For example, a scammer might offer a “job” that involves stuffing envelopes or assembling crafts, but the “work” is never actually completed and the victim never gets paid.
Lottery scams: Lottery scams involve informing people that they’ve won a large sum of money, but in order to claim their prize, they need to pay a fee or provide personal information. For example, a scammer might call someone and tell them they’ve won a sweepstakes, but in order to claim the prize, they need to provide their bank account information.
Debt relief scams: Debt relief scams involve promising to help people pay off their debts in exchange for a fee. For example, a scammer might offer to negotiate with creditors on behalf of a victim, but instead of actually negotiating, they take the victim’s money and disappear.
Healthcare scams: Healthcare scams involve offering fake medical treatments or services, such as miracle cures for diseases or unapproved medical devices. For example, a scammer might claim to have a “secret” cure for cancer that can only be purchased through their website.
Romance scams: Romance scams involve creating fake online dating profiles and using them to build relationships with victims, often with the goal of getting money or sensitive information from them. For example, a scammer might create a fake profile on a dating website and start a relationship with a victim, eventually asking for money to help them with a supposed emergency. Read our article on Romance Scams here
Charity scams: Charity scams involve pretending to be a legitimate charity and asking for donations, but instead of using the money for charitable purposes, the scammer pockets it. For example, a scammer might create a fake website for a charity and ask for donations to help victims of a natural disaster, but the money never goes to the intended recipients.
Tech support scams: Tech support scams involve pretending to be from a tech support company and convincing people that their computers are infected with a virus. For example, a scammer might call someone and tell them that their computer is infected, and offer to help fix it for a fee.
Real-life examples of these common scams:
In 2017, a man in the UK was scammed out of £180,000 (approximately $240,000) by a fake investment scheme.
In 2018, a woman in the US was scammed out of $1.5 million by a man she met on a dating website.
In 2019, a man in Canada was sentenced to eight years in prison for running a charity scam that defrauded donors out of more than $5 million.
To avoid falling victim to scams, it’s important to be cautious and always do thorough research before giving out personal information or money. If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam, contact the authorities and report the scam to help protect others.
