Aware of Fraud and Scams - Coursework Example

wаrе of Frаud and Sсаms Name Institution •Unexpected winnings Description In the contemporary world, the issue of unexpected prizes is common. This is whereby the lottery scams operate by requesting people to pay some little fee in order to enable one an opportunity to claim for personal winnings or prizes from a genuine lottery or competition. In order for the scam to arrive, the scammers send email to the target individuals. The scammers end messages informing a person that they have won unexpected prizes for lottery or sort of competition that they are aware that it is in existence by that time and the one cannot remember their participation. The messages can also be sent through the social media, text messages, email, or telephone (Button, Nicholls, Kerr, & Owen, 2015). Through their messages, they make individuals think they bought the applicable tickets or that the lottery does not require purchasing of tickets for people to win the prizes. The major prizes claimed to be won are cash, electronic equipment like a smart phone or tropical holidays from international lottery. In unexpected winnings, scammers claim that the fee required to be paid is for bank fees, insurance costs, courier charges, or government taxes. On order to make the determined money many times, scammers make changing the initial story, but install the provision of one’s winnings. They might also ask a person to dial a specific phone number and keep the target individual on the line for a long period to enhance clocking up of the charges. One is also asked to prove that they are the intended winner and offer their bank details to enable sending of the prize. Such information is used to steal money owned in the bank account. On the other hand, they might request for the calling of a second premium rate phone number. They trick the unexpected winner by asking them to make urgent responses to avoid the risk of missing out their prizes. In addition, they ask a person to keep it a secret and the information confidential to prevent the diversion of the particular prize to other people and for the security in the entire process. The aim of this is to stop one from seeking for advice from other sources. The tone used by scammers is very friendly in order to make the individual believe in the information. Example During the UK National Lottery, various people were sent messages being informed that they were winners of the expected money. Through the messages, the unexpected winners were informed their winning serial numbers and the category of the prize purposed to be won. In the message, they were issued with the information of agent to contact, and advised to provide personal detail that would enhance the determination of if they were the genuine winners. •Fake charities Description Fake charities are those charity organizations that might sound to be real to the public and yet they are impersonated by the scammers or fraudsters with the aim of attracting victims to donate money and other donations. Hence they take the advantage of donor’ compassion and generosity for those who are genuinely in need. Fake charities are found everywhere and in all nations, and they majorly operate via the internet, though they might pretend to be having operational offices. Their approaches occur as if trying to respond to real issues and emergencies such as; bushfires, earthquakes, cyclones, and floods (Button, Nicholls, Kerr, & Owen, 2014). In this situation, the scammers tend to pose as agents of a genuine and famous charity organization in order to have a personal charity name, thus, diverting the required donations away from the genuine charities. The scammers use names that are almost the same with those of efficiently known organizations, therefore the need to be keen about the spelling of the charity’s name as well as the website url. They also make the donors believe that the particular organization is legally registered by the government and operating in the rela world. These fake charities tend to make unsolicited requests for donations through the internet, for instance claiming to assist ill children. Fake charities, through the scammers set up some websites that look identical with the genuine ones or send emails to the victims. In most cases, those collecting the donations do not bear any identification or have meaningless of forged identifications. In order to attract more donors, the messages are set in a manner that makes one feel selfish or guilty for failing to donate. Besides, one makes financial donations with the belief that the donated money will be used to help the victims, but this is not the case. Moreover, the scammers ask one to offer cash as donations and not cheques and no provision of receipt and in the case of being issued with a receipt; it does not have the charity’s information. Example Because of Boston marathon tragedy in 2013, there were many scammers circulating emails that seemed to be having urls to websites having genuine information concerning the Boston explosions. The links had malicious information that allowed scammers to have access to donors’ computers. Moreover, they were sending emails and using social media platforms to acquire donations that they pretended to be supporting the victims of that disaster. Once an individual would click the link in the email, they would be directed towards downloading a file and saving it, therefore having a chance to access the specific computer. In this situation, many individuals were influenced and made their donations, which never reached the explosions’ victims. •Dating & romance Description Dating and romance frauds and scams normally occur via the online apps, dating websites or social media whereby an individual thinks to have met a matching partner. The scammers pretend to be forthcoming partners by applying their emotional triggers to catch the target person to offer gifts, personal information or money. They in most cases use some fake profiles aimed at forming a fake relationship and ruling individuals. Via the email, scammers make contact or make telephone calls, for the initial introduction. Majorly, they use fictional identities or use names of trusted and real people like professionals found abroad or aid workers working internationally (Whitty, 2015). In order to attract one’s attention, they apply strong emotions towards the target person within little time and suggest the relationship to be moved from the online platform to some personal channels such as instant messages or phone. They give their identities as people from any country but working overseas. They shower a person with romantic words and give out their personal details, as well as sending gifts in order to gain one’s trust and interest. Scammers are not in hurry, but take months to develop a relationship that might look like romantic in lifetime and pretend to be booking a flight to visit the victim, but never manage to arrive. The moment they gain one’s defences and trust, they move further and request for gifts, bank details, or money. In addition, they are likely to ask a person to send their videos, or pictures especially in an intimate manner. When in need of money, the scammers pretend to be in an emergency, therefore needing some amount of money to solve the stated issue. For instance one might claim to be in need of money to clear hospital bill for a relative who is in need of an urgent medical attention like operation (Whitty, 2015). They might also pretend to have been mugged on the street, thus unfortunately running a bad life situation. It is also possible for a scammer to fake to be in need of visiting a person but not in a position to raise the required fee and request to be lend some money to cater for the flight expenses. In some cases, the scammer can send specific gifts and then request an individual to resend the present to a different location. It is probable for a scammer to pose a risk to one’s personal safety that is possible to be in a tragic outcome. Example Georgina had a Facebook fiancé who left her broke. Georgina was signed up to Facebook by her children and was directed on how to use it. After receiving a friend request from a serviceman in Afghanistan, she accepted it. The friend said to be lonely and in need of a friend to offer company during his duty times. The scammer said to have lost his wife to cancer the same situation with her husband. He sent pictures and promised to meet her. He then requested for some money from Georgina since he had trouble with his bank card. She sent the money and would even take loan for that. The demand for money continued and was run out of money when reporting to police just to realize it was a romance scam. •Jobs & investment Description The job and investment scam trick people to send money to be offered employment by making people believe they have job opportunities, which are false via advertisement websites. In the case of investment, one is convinced to invest in foolproof software with the ability to guarantee high profits through minimal effort. In order to catch a victim, they request for their account details, which are used to steal money and commit different fraudulent actions. They guarantee making of quick money (Naylor, 2007). The job provided might need a person to do simple thing like assembling products or stuffing envelopes through materials that have to be purchased from an employer. For demonstration of acceptance of the job, one is asked to pay some starter materials or kits that are necessary for the scheme. After the payment of the requested fee, the victim fails to receive what one expects and receives different things or nothing at all. One might also be sent specific information on how to direct people to join the particular scheme. After investing much money or doing the given work, the scammer does not pay the agreed money or return and claiming to have done something wrong in the process. The scammer offers a percentage of commission for every payment made and might pay the particular commission for the initial time, but stop for the following payments. The moment a person provides the requested bank details, one is at risk of losing more money. It is not easy for a person to be suspicious of the unsolicited offer because of the hope on the guaranteed income. In addition, scammers use names of markets and companies that are similar to real and operating markets and organizations (Naylor, 2007). For the investment, scammers use examples of real people who have also conducted the same investments and prospered in their efforts in order to entice individuals to join the scheme. The scammers look for those people who are desperate for jobs or having the need to invest in businesses that can give them quick and high returns. They might also promise to support individuals to have easy access to international markets and organizations once they respond to the scammers’ request. Example In 2007, there was circulation of fake Australian Chamber of Commerce job offer. It was an appealing part-time job that required many workers to work from home and earn over $5000 monthly. Individuals were tricked through bogus names and promised promotions associated with money laundering. Majority were required to give out their bank account details and risked being frozen. The link was given through emails especially for the active ones and required one to respond by confirming, therefore becoming a victim of the scam. References Button, M., McNaughton Nicholls, C., Kerr, J., & Owen, R. (2015). Online fraud victims in England and Wales: victims' views on sentencing and the opportunity for restorative justice?. The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, 54(2), 193-211. Button, M., Nicholls, C. M., Kerr, J., & Owen, R. (2014). Online frauds: Learning from victims why they fall for these scams. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 47(3), 391-408. Naylor, R. T. (2007). The alchemy of fraud: Investment scams in the precious-metals mining business. Crime, law and social change, 47(2), 89-120. Whitty, M. T. (2015). Anatomy of the online dating romance scam. Security Journal, 28(4), 443-455. Read More