Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The Little Black Book of Scams

 

Little Black Book of Scams

Ever had an unsolicited email that promises you money in return for bank details for the processing of an in-determinate amount that has been willed to you by someone living in a town and a country you may never have heard of. Chances are extremely high that it is a scam.

Over the years, I have received many a scam email and they do hit the delete box very quickly.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have just released The Little Black Book of Scams and it is well worth the reading. It can be downloaded from the link at the end.

The book outlines a Tool Box of common tricks that Scammers tend to utilise.

· Not-so-tall-tales: scammers spin elaborate yet convincing yarns to get what they want

· Counterfeit and official-looking documents that appear to have government approval can give the scam an air of authenticity

· Mirror and fake websites: it’s easy for scammers to copy a legitimate web-site and use a slightly different address to trick

· High pressure sales tactics: scammers know how to up the ante to create a sense of excitement, anxiety or fear

· Phishing: scammers send emails or SMS to “fish” for and collect personal details

· Malicious software: scammers use this to hack computers via infected links, attachments, downloads or fake popup alerts

· Victims lists: scammers buy lists containing details of people who have previously for fallen for a scam and trick them again

· International money wires or transfers” an easy way for scammers to collect money and evade detection.

For more information on the ACCC’s Little Black Book of Scams CLICK HERE

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