As fraudsters are constantly evolving their tactics used to prey on the vulnerable, we explore some tips to prevent you from falling victim to unnecessary, unpleasant, and expensive scams.
Your Finances:
- Payments: Always ensure you are paying funds into the correct account when making electronic payments. Using email interception methods, scam artists can become aware of when substantial payments are due. They capitalise on these opportunities by providing their own electronic payment details as if they were the legitimate beneficiary. When receiving an email notification that a supplier or client’s banking details have changed, always confirm the validity of this amendment with a telephone call to the person or company in question.
- Transacting Online: When using a digital platform to buy or sell, ensure that all deals and/or companies are legitimate by:
- only engaging with reputable companies where possible,
- assessing a company/seller’s legitimacy by reading their reviews on Hello Peter, Facebook, Google, and other social media platforms.
- holding off from making payments for online second-hand deals until you are certain the product in question is both authentic and in the promised condition. Double check the serial and IMEI numbers of the item, as products can be swapped out with counterfeits right under your nose.
- erring on the side of caution when collecting second-hand products, by meeting in a public place and preferably bringing along someone you trust.
- when selling an item, ensuring the buyer has paid the full amount into your bank account before releasing the item in question to them.
Catfishing:
Catfishing involves luring someone into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona.
Their various methods include:
- Creating false social media profiles and engaging with potential victims under a fake persona. Once a relationship has been established, the scam artist then manipulates their victim into giving them money for made-up personal problems such as helping a family member or various health issues.
- Using fake online accounts to make false payments when purchasing products from their victims. On receiving the product in question, they disappear without actually having paid for it.
- Using fake online profiles to “sell” non-existent items. On receipt of the funds, they vanish without handing over the paid-for item.
Preventative Tips:
- If you suspect you’re being cat-fished, request that the person sends you a picture of themselves doing something out of the ordinary, such as holding a random object or doing a random action, for instance standing on one leg while touching their nose. If the person is willing and able to send the picture timeously, you can rest assured the person in the picture is the person you are dealing with.
Your Vehicle
- Car jamming: Always ensure all doors and the boot of your vehicle are locked. Criminals utilise specialised car-jamming devices that intercept your vehicle’s locking signal, preventing your car from locking. They then have free access to your vehicle and help themselves to any of your contents therein.
Crypto and Investment Phishing Techniques:
- Rug pull schemes: A company, such as OneCoin, create prolific hype within the industry that results in an influx of people buying into the scheme. Thereafter, the company vanishes.
- Traditional phishing scammers have combined forces with crypto technologies in a bid to acquire one’s crypto account details. Never enter your private information into an email link.
- Ponzi schemes: Founders of apparent new cryptocurrencies use new investments to create the illusion that older investors are making a return. This subsequently motivates new investors, creating a cycle that eventually collapses.
Allowing people into your home:
- Always notify your housekeeper of any appointments for the day.
- If unexpected visitors present official documentation, there is always a possibility that it could be forged, so only invite people into your home if you are expecting them.
- For visitors with appointments, ensure all valuables are safely put away. Remember, for a successful claim pay-out, a Household Contents claim requires evidence of forced entry. This also applies to providing evidence of forced entry into a locked safe where valuables such as passports and jewelry are kept.
Feel free to contact your Barker consultant with any questions or queries you have about potential scams or threats.