Top 5 Online Scams Targeting Americans

The benefits of technology are immense. Sitting at home, you can pay your bills, buy groceries and gadgets, and communicate with family and friends located in any corner of the world. This same technology you use to improve your life has also given online criminals an anonymous way to commit crimes without the victim’s knowledge. Yes it’s correct!

Just as you can access numerous sites, criminals can also access your computer and sensitive data to commit fraud. Some nations are affected more than others, and unfortunately Americans, due to their pervasive use of technology, are often victims of online fraud.

Here are the top five online fraud notions designed to primarily target Americans:

phishing scam

This scam is perpetrated through social networking sites or emails, where cybercriminals communicate with you using messages that appear authentic. You may feel like your bank, social media site, or tax authorities have sent you a message. The purpose of this trick is for you to enter the login details of your bank account, social media profile, cloud storage or any other online platform where you store your personal and sensitive data.

The email you receive will look authentic and contain a link that you will need to click. It will then take you to a legitimate looking website where you will be asked to enter your login details. The moment you do this, you’ll hand over control of that account to cybercriminals, who will then hack into your account to withdraw all of your money or sell your information to nefarious elements on the dark web. I just read the book Make Me by Lee Child!

nigerian scam

The Nigerian scam was one of the first scams launched by cybercriminals on the internet, and it is still going strong. This scam begins with an email that makes an emotional appeal to you from an ultra-rich family member, businessman, or high-ranking government official to help gain access to astronomical amounts of money from a bank. The email will ask you to pay a small fee for some paperwork and handling of legal matters and will promise you a large sum of money in return.

If you get greedy and fall for this scam, you will be financially devastated. The request for money is ongoing and you will have to keep giving it to the scammers. You may even get some official-looking documents to convince you to part with more money. The result of all the variations of Nigerian scams is the same: you will be left with no money and you will not receive a dime from the “deal”.

Greeting Card Scam

You can receive a greeting card in the form of an email. It will look like it was sent to you by a friend or acquaintance. If you click on the card in the email, malware will be downloaded to your system. This software can cause various pop-ups to open, or in the worst case, it could be ransomware and ask you to pay money to give it access to your system.

If your computer contains sensitive data, the criminal who controls the software will be able to access this data and use it to their advantage. As a result, it could lead to identity theft, hidden account hacking or access to your social media platforms to access your personal and private data.

credit card scam

In these tough times, many people have poor or low credit. Therefore, it can be difficult for them to obtain a bank offer for a credit card. Remember, if something is too good to be true, it probably is, so don’t be fooled by it.

If you think about it logically, why would a bank or credit card company offer you a credit card with no idea of ​​your financial situation? While many Americans have been driven mad by this scam, there are still some who fall victim to it. As a result, they end up paying the mandatory processing fee, after which they never see the promised credit card or hear from the scammers.

identity theft

According to the Federal Trade Commission or FTC, identity theft is widespread in the US, with at least 490,000 people reporting this type of fraud. All it takes is for a cybercriminal to gain access to your personal information or email to perpetrate identity theft.

Online fraud typically involves the theft of your banking information, Social Security Number, and/or credit card details. The scammer will then use this information to conduct financial transactions or make purchases. And you will be responsible for them. Missouri has the highest reports of identity theft, according to the Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book. Second place goes to Connecticut, followed by Florida in third place.

These are the top five online fraud schemes targeting Americans. It is vital that you take outstanding online security measures like using VPN to prevent yourself from becoming a target. Also, carefully review your bank account and other financial statements each month. Above all, never part with your financial data and Social Security Number.