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Abstract

nd she should transfer her money to a safe account. The man on the phone was so persuasive that she didn’t doubt that he was trying to help her. She genuinely tried to do what the man had asked her, but luckily it was too technical. Her daughter came right on time and stepped in, so the scammers hung up.</p><p id="2db4">When I was younger, I was confident that I would never fall into such traps. But I am no longer that young, and I clicked on that phone link without hesitation. I haven’t even talked to one of those super scammers on the phone. Am I in danger? After that point, I sat down and read lots of stories about scammers and what to do about them.</p><p id="ae08"><b>So how can we protect ourselves against scammers?</b></p><h1 id="d4ad">1. Stop and think</h1><p id="d2aa">Apparently, clicking on a suspicious link like that is a more significant mistake than I thought. It’s not that the scammers will immediately infect your phone or computer with a harmful code, but once you click on these, they identify you as one of the easy pickings. Then they begin to target you relentlessly on the phone or email. So I should be extra careful after today!</p><p id="2740">Lesson: Don’t click on the suspicious link or ad on the e-mail or text in the first place.</p><h1 id="9a6d">2. Pay attention to details</h1><p id="534e">Most of the time, it’s easy to tell a fraudulent email. If they claim to be from an organization, they don’t look professional. Even when they are copied from a legitimate source, they are poorly written and include one or two obvious spelling mistakes.</p><p id="a32b">There is an idea that scammers make these mistakes intentionally to filter the “easy pickings.” They don’t want to waste their time on careful people they won’t manipulate easily.</p><p id="3c7e">Don’t end up on their list. Always pay attention.</p><h1 id="9147">3. Don’t trust the caller ID</h1><p id="96a7">When someone you don’t know calls you, don’t trust what you see on your screen. Scammers can fake phone numbers and names.</p><p id="db9c">If you decide that you need to talk to this company or government office, hang up and call their official numbers yourself. Don’t use the information given by the people on the phone.</p><h1 id="4386">4. Don’t tell your information</h1><p id="12ad">If someone asks for your password or other information on the phone and starts pressuring you, hang up and report the number to the

Options

police.</p><p id="a51f">Legitimate institutions will never act this way on the phone. Don’t ask anything to these people because they will lie. Just hang up and don’t answer if they call again.</p><p id="5f33">Again, if you need to talk to the institution, find the official phone numbers and call them yourself.</p><h1 id="4858">5. Take your time</h1><p id="35f3">Scammers are known to pressure their victims to act immediately. They don’t want you to have time to think or do your research.</p><p id="93f9">Resist acting fast. Tell the caller that you need time to think about their offer or research the problem. People who are not trying to manipulate you won’t have a problem with this.</p><h1 id="56b2">6. Don’t pay with gift cards</h1><p id="7af7">If you are purchasing something on the phone or online, and the seller demands that you pay them using gift cards or a money transfer service, this is probably a scam. Instead of giving you a legitimate account number, they want you to buy a gift card, which the police cannot trace once they charge the money. Don’t fall into this trap. Stop talking to these people.</p><h1 id="a975">7. When in doubt, talk to someone you trust</h1><p id="91bf">The manipulation techniques used by scammers can make you doubt yourself. Talking to someone who wasn’t subject to this treatment can put things back into perspective.</p><p id="e836">My mother in law realized that she was talking to a scammer when her daughter came home, and she had to tell her what was going on.</p><h1 id="eba3">Final thought: Always be aware</h1><p id="e377">Keep yourself updated about the kinds of schemes that are being used by scammers. There are countless scenarios. Check out the list at <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts">https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts</a>.</p><p id="21e9">You could be buying a car, looking for a job, trying to lose weight, looking for a romantic partner. Scammers can use everything you need or want to rip you off.</p><p id="805e">They might impersonate a relative and claim that they were in trouble, or they might tell you you’ve won a prize, your computer has been hacked, or like in my case, there is pending delivery.</p><p id="d943">Living in constant paranoia is not ideal. But we all need a healthy level of skepticism to protect ourselves from ill-intentioned people. Please use it and keep yourself safe!</p></article></body>

7 Ways to Protect Yourself from Scammers

It happens to anybody!

I needed some business cards quickly, so I ordered a set of them online. I thought the website I found was a local printshop. I didn’t think much because it was cheap; I could easily design my card and place my order under a half-hour. So I did that. Then I found out that it was an international company and my cards were being shipped from overseas. The delivery will take ages.

This is okay. I was just wrong. Yet, I am still shocked because I realized I hadn’t paid attention to what I was doing. But this is not the whole story!

Today I received a text message informing me that I have a pending delivery with an unpaid customs charge. I was sure it was about my business cards, so I clicked on the link without thinking. I got to a page with a tracking number and the UPS logo. I was ready to do whatever the page said: pay 2 dollars by giving them my credit card information.

At that second, a question mark appeared on top of my head for the first time. I stopped myself and checked the URL. It wasn’t UPS; it was a long, confusing address. I almost got scammed!

First, I contacted the printing company, and they assured me that I didn’t have to pay for anything extra. Then I googled the text message, and of course, hundreds of people got the same message with the same “UPS tracking number” on it.

It is fascinating. These scammers must be working on their schemes and plans like a full-time job. They come up with these ideas every day. They probably are the “idea machines” we all want to become. Why wouldn’t they use their brilliant minds actually to do something helpful? It baffles me!

My partner’s mother, a knowledgeable and bright woman, was almost scammed by someone who tried to persuade her over a few hours on the phone that her computer was hacked and she should transfer her money to a safe account. The man on the phone was so persuasive that she didn’t doubt that he was trying to help her. She genuinely tried to do what the man had asked her, but luckily it was too technical. Her daughter came right on time and stepped in, so the scammers hung up.

When I was younger, I was confident that I would never fall into such traps. But I am no longer that young, and I clicked on that phone link without hesitation. I haven’t even talked to one of those super scammers on the phone. Am I in danger? After that point, I sat down and read lots of stories about scammers and what to do about them.

So how can we protect ourselves against scammers?

1. Stop and think

Apparently, clicking on a suspicious link like that is a more significant mistake than I thought. It’s not that the scammers will immediately infect your phone or computer with a harmful code, but once you click on these, they identify you as one of the easy pickings. Then they begin to target you relentlessly on the phone or email. So I should be extra careful after today!

Lesson: Don’t click on the suspicious link or ad on the e-mail or text in the first place.

2. Pay attention to details

Most of the time, it’s easy to tell a fraudulent email. If they claim to be from an organization, they don’t look professional. Even when they are copied from a legitimate source, they are poorly written and include one or two obvious spelling mistakes.

There is an idea that scammers make these mistakes intentionally to filter the “easy pickings.” They don’t want to waste their time on careful people they won’t manipulate easily.

Don’t end up on their list. Always pay attention.

3. Don’t trust the caller ID

When someone you don’t know calls you, don’t trust what you see on your screen. Scammers can fake phone numbers and names.

If you decide that you need to talk to this company or government office, hang up and call their official numbers yourself. Don’t use the information given by the people on the phone.

4. Don’t tell your information

If someone asks for your password or other information on the phone and starts pressuring you, hang up and report the number to the police.

Legitimate institutions will never act this way on the phone. Don’t ask anything to these people because they will lie. Just hang up and don’t answer if they call again.

Again, if you need to talk to the institution, find the official phone numbers and call them yourself.

5. Take your time

Scammers are known to pressure their victims to act immediately. They don’t want you to have time to think or do your research.

Resist acting fast. Tell the caller that you need time to think about their offer or research the problem. People who are not trying to manipulate you won’t have a problem with this.

6. Don’t pay with gift cards

If you are purchasing something on the phone or online, and the seller demands that you pay them using gift cards or a money transfer service, this is probably a scam. Instead of giving you a legitimate account number, they want you to buy a gift card, which the police cannot trace once they charge the money. Don’t fall into this trap. Stop talking to these people.

7. When in doubt, talk to someone you trust

The manipulation techniques used by scammers can make you doubt yourself. Talking to someone who wasn’t subject to this treatment can put things back into perspective.

My mother in law realized that she was talking to a scammer when her daughter came home, and she had to tell her what was going on.

Final thought: Always be aware

Keep yourself updated about the kinds of schemes that are being used by scammers. There are countless scenarios. Check out the list at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts.

You could be buying a car, looking for a job, trying to lose weight, looking for a romantic partner. Scammers can use everything you need or want to rip you off.

They might impersonate a relative and claim that they were in trouble, or they might tell you you’ve won a prize, your computer has been hacked, or like in my case, there is pending delivery.

Living in constant paranoia is not ideal. But we all need a healthy level of skepticism to protect ourselves from ill-intentioned people. Please use it and keep yourself safe!