Internet Scam

Are you frustrated and overwhelmed by of all of the scams, spam and other junk you see every day on the Internet and in your email box? Do you know what actually is Internet scam or internet fraud? The term “Internet fraud” generally refers to any type of fraud scheme that uses one or more online services to present fraudulent and solicitations to prospective victims, to conduct fraudulent transactions or to transmit the proceeds of fraud to financial institutions or to others connected with the scheme. It can take place on computer programs such as chat rooms, e-mail, message boards or Web sites.

Email and the Internet is a wonderful resource that has revolutionized the way humans communicate and access information. Scammers regularly use email in attempts to steal money or personal information from unsuspecting victims. There are various categories of internet scams available on Internet. For example, charity scam, purchase scam, lottery scam, love and dating scam, phishing scam, virus scam, job scam, Nigerian scam and even pet scam.

These are some examples of Internet Scam:

Below are descriptions of three of the most common types of email driven scams. First of all, phishing scams is the email that people receive from a bank/online service provider/financial institution that asks you to click a link and visit a website in order to provide personal information. A phishing scam is one in which victims are tricked into providing personal information such as account numbers and passwords to what they believe to be a legitimate company or organization. Next, Nigerian scam is an email/letter/fax that asks for your help to success a large sum if money in a foreign bank account. The message says that you will get a percentage of the funds in exchange for your help. Moreover, lottery scams is an email/letter/fax that claims that you have won a great deal of money in an international lottery even though you have never bought a ticket. The email may claim that your email address was randomly chosen out of a large pool of addresses as a “winning entry”. Such emails are almost certainly fraudulent.

In general, be wary of unsolicited emails that promise you money, jobs or prizes, ask for donations, propose lucrative business deals, ask you to provide sensitive personal information, ask you to follow a link to a website and log on to an account. If you receive these types of scam emails, it is important that you do not respond to it in any way. The scammers are likely to act upon any response from those they see as potential victims.

There are a lot of international anti-scam website for reporting, sharing and dissemination of scam info which included HotScams, ScamBusters.org, Hoax-Slayer and so on so forth. These websites are dedicated to debunking email hoaxes, thwarting Internet scammers, combating spam and educating web users about email and Internet security issues. It allows Internet users to check the veracity of common email hoaxes and aims to counteract criminal activity by publishing information about common types of Internet scams. Some also includes anti-spam tips, computer and email security information, articles about true email forwards, and much more. Readers can subscribe to these websites for their free weekly newsletter and then explore the site for helpful guidance and advice on how to identify dangerous scams and protect yourself—so you don’t become a cunning scammer’s next victim!