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Social media, Internet and artificial intelligence are the new frontier in scams. Scammers are working overtime to get your information while you are on-line. As technology evolves, so do the scammers, so it's important to know the warning signs and to be vigilant.
Social Media Scams
Social media scams are being used for different gateways to identity theft.
- Scammers posting in community pages -- they will often post something shocking or pretend to be selling items, that will generate a lot of shares. They will usually have the comments turned off and often times their profile has recently been established, with very few friends. Avoid sharing these types of posts, they could lead you or your friends to get caught in a scam.
- Romance Scams -- these scams occur when a con artist creates a fake online profile to gain a victim's trust and affection, then manipulates them into sending money for fabricated emergencies or investments, often through gift cards or cryptocurrency. This is how consumers get wrapped up in money laundering without them even realizing it.
- Watch out for rapid expressions of strong emotions and love, quick progression to requests for money or financial favors, asks to receive and forward money to "family or friends"
- Research profile names and photos online (scammers often reuse them), verify claimed employment through official channels, never send money to someone you haven't met in person and contact police if you feel physically threatened
- "Deals" on social media -- Scammers sometimes impersonate real companies on social media, advertising big discounts on brand-name products. Clicking on a scammy ad can take you to a fake website that’s designed to steal your money or information. If you pay, you might get a cheap fake or nothing at all. If you give your personal information, the scammer might steal your identity.
- Look up the seller before you click.
- Don't assume the seller is the company brand named in the ad.
- Look closely to see if you can tell who the seller really is. Then, search that company’s name online, adding words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review.” Check to see what others are saying about the seller before you click on the ad.
- Compare prices. See what the product is selling for in other places. If the ad offers prices that are much, much lower, it’s probably a scam.
- Use a credit card. If you buy, paying by credit card gives you the best protections if something goes wrong.
- Never buy anything from online sellers who insist you can only pay with gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps, or cryptocurrency. Only scammers will demand you pay in those ways.
Internet Scams
Scammers are always developing new ways to take advantage of consumers. Email and phishing scams have been on the rise, but now artificial intelligence is being used by scammers to take advantage of you.
- AI Scams -- utilize artificial intelligence to create highly realistic deepfakes, voice clones, and personalized phishing messages to trick victims into revealing personal information, sending money, or making fraudulent purchases. Common methods include impersonating family members through cloned voices in emergency calls, generating fake investment opportunities with AI-created personas, creating convincing phishing emails that bypass traditional spam filters, and producing fake images or videos of disasters for charity scams.
- Email and text scams or phishing attacks -- use deceptive emails to trick people into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial details, by pretending to be a trusted source. Red flags include urgent requests for personal data, generic greetings, suspicious links, or unusual attachments. To protect yourself, never click suspicious links or provide sensitive information, and verify any requests by contacting the organization directly through a separate, trusted channel.
- How Email and Text Scams Work
• Impersonation: Scammers send emails or texts that look like they come from legitimate companies, banks, or government agencies to gain your trust.
• Social Engineering: They use tactics like creating a sense of urgency, making threats (like account closure or arrest), or offering rewards to manipulate you into acting quickly without thinking.
• Information Theft: The goal is to steal your personal information (passwords, credit card numbers, Social Security numbers) for identity theft or financial fraud.
• Malware: Some scams include malicious attachments that, when opened, can install malware or viruses on your device to steal your information. - How to Spot an Email Scam (Red Flags)
• Urgent or Threatening Language: Look for emails that demand immediate action to prevent negative consequences.
• Generic Greetings: Scammers often use generic greetings like "Dear Customer" instead of your name.
• Suspicious Links: Hover your mouse over any links to see the actual destination. If it doesn't match the text or looks odd, it's a scam.
• Requests for Personal Information: Legitimate organizations usually won't ask for your password, Social Security number, or financial details via email.
• Unsolicited Attachments: Be cautious of attachments from unknown sources, as they can contain malware.
• Poor Grammar and Spelling: While not always present, many scam emails contain errors. - How to Protect Yourself
• Don't Click Suspicious Links: If you're unsure about an email, don't click any links.
• Verify Requests: If an email claims to be from a company or bank, contact them directly using a separate phone number or by visiting their website independently, not through the link in the email.
• Use a Password Manager: Use unique, strong passwords for different accounts and allow your password manager to fill them in to ensure you are on a legitimate site.
• Never Give Out Passwords: Do not share your passwords with anyone, regardless of who asks or why.
• Report Scams: Report phishing emails to your email provider or to the Anti-Phishing Working Group by forwarding the email to reportphishing@apwg.org.
- How Email and Text Scams Work