How to avoid scams tricks by Mytrendingstories writing platform 2021? Cindy Dawson, a 39-year-old customer service representative for a manufacturing firm, fell for a Nigerian named Simon Peters whom she met on a dating site. “We started talking on the phone,” the divorced mother of three recalls. “He said his father lived in Bolingbrook, Illinois, not far from me.” They exchanged photos; Peters was a handsome man. Dawson sent him pictures of her kids, who also talked to him on the phone. “He kept saying how much he cared about me,” says Dawson, fighting back tears at the memory. “I was in love with him.” Soon enough, Peters started asking for money—small amounts at first, to buy food. He always wanted the money wired by Western Union to someone named Adelwale Mazu. Peters said he couldn’t use his own name because he didn’t have the right documentation. “It started progressing to higher amounts of money,” says Dawson. “I sent him money for airfare from Nigeria. I drove to the airport, but he never showed.” Avoidance maneuver: “On the Internet, it is almost impossible to be too paranoid,” says Durst. “But don’t be paralyzed; be smart.” Dating and social-networking sites can be a great way to meet new friends, even from foreign countries. But if someone you know only from the Web asks for money, sign off quickly and follow these other tips for keeping yourself safe from online dating scams.
News with MyTrendingStories blogging platform: Phishing is an attempt to get financial information directly from the consumer by posing as a legitimate company or financial institution. Most people know not to trust the Nigerian prince who wants wire them money, but phishing emails have evolved beyond these far-fetched plots. This type of fraudulent email typically comes in two parts: You are threatened with losing money. Examples of this include your PayPal account being suspended or fake unauthorized purchases made on your Amazon account. You are promised something for free. Flashy emails that ask you take a survey for a free gift card, enter to win a free iPad/iPhone, or participate in a free trial of a new diet pill could actually be the first steps in stealing your money. Never click on a link or sign up for offers in an unsolicited email. If you get an email from a vendor saying your account is suspended, visit that site directly to confirm. An example would be, if you are made to believe your PayPal account is suspended, go to paypal.com and log in to see if it’s true, don’t click any provided links.
mytrendingstories.com anti-scam advice: First, don’t trust the messenger, no matter who they say they are or what it says on caller ID. Do not act immediately. Break the contact and take a 10-minute breather. Get some water. Scammers often push “secrecy,” so talk to someone you’re sure is likely to remain calm. Think about your options to independently verify any alarming message. Google is a great scam-confirmation tool. Your local police and your bank are also resources for you in a moment like this. Call them on phone numbers you personally get from their official websites. Find out what you’re really dealing with and then your next steps will become clear — especially if it’s a scam. If your “prior preparation” saves you from falling for a scam, spread the word. Tell others what happened and help them learn how to prepare to save themselves too. Read additional info at mytrendingstories scam.
Mytrendingstories discuss how to avoid scams: One way to identify if you’re browsing a fake website is to look at the domain name. As a rule of thumb, most legitimate URLs will not have extraneous characters or misspellings. Retailer websites are simple and typically match their trademark name, according to CNBC. For example, the domain name for fashion brand Michael Kors is MichaelKors.com. Likewise, the domain name for high-end designer Gucci is Gucci.com. You can also check if the website has a universal seal of approval, such as the Norton Secured Seal. Such a seal usually indicates that the website is trustworthy, according to Consumer Reports. You can also check to see when the domain was created using Whois.
There are 1,000s of ways scammers try to catch you out. Common methods include: Calls from someone claiming to be from a Government department or representative (or even MSE!), talking about reclaiming bank charges. Pension ‘liberation’ (more info in our Release Pension Cash guide). Vishing – where scammers tell you they’re from your bank and there’s been fraud on your account, asking you to call them back, but instead they wait on the line and then get you to hand over bank details. Miracle cures or miracle weight-loss pills – ketones are common, and appear on many people’s Facebook pages. Fake bank or Apple emails saying you need to re-verify your account details. Investment scams (the FCA has a site helping you to spot investment scammers – ScamSmart, which includes a database of dodgy companies to avoid), Deceptive prize draws and sweepstakes. Discover additional information at mytrendingstories.com.