MyTrendingStories brings advices about protecting yourself from online scam today? 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.
Latest news from Mytrendingstories.com platform: Before you apply for a job, review warning signs to help you determine if a job is a scam. If you’re not sure, take the time to research the company to make sure the job is legitimate. Here are ways to tell if a job is a scam. Research the Job and the Company: Visit the company’s website. Look for potential red flags indicating that the company is not what they seem. Review the Company Website: Does the site fit with how they describe the company? Is it secure? How professional does the site look? Is there contact information? Are jobs and career information posted on the site? If the company doesn’t have a website, that’s a bad sign. Most legitimate businesses have a web presence. Small, local businesses may do most of their marketing on social media, but then they should be known in your community.
mytrendingstories.com anti-scam guides: 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. Find more info at mytrendingstories scams.
Mytrendingstories teaches how to escape scams: Consider travel insurance. Duquesnel said sites like Vrbo allow you to buy insurance. If you get to the rental and find out you were scammed, Vrbo will work to find some place comparable as quickly as possible if you have the insurance. If you’ve been searching online for vacations and all of a sudden get a text on your phone about a great deal, ignore that. Duquesnel said that’s called “smishing.” Scammers somehow get your number and try to woo you in order to get your credit card information. Don’t fall for it. Check out the BBB’s website for reviews and complaints and use their scam tracker to report any problems. Sound the alarm if a retailer asks you for a wire transfer, a money order or a gift card as payment for your order. In this case, it’s likely that your money will fall directly into the pocket of a scammer and you won’t receive anything for the money you paid. If you want to protect yourself, always pay with a credit card or other secure forms of payment, according to the Better Business Bureau.
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. Find additional info on https://mytrendingstories.com/.