In the recent years, different social
networks have attracted millions of internet users. They have connected people
on a level never seen before, with photos, music and thoughts that being shared
instantly over great distances. They have made video communication possible and
have put people in touch with friends in remote corners of the world, while
also giving everyone access to direct sources of news. Unfortunately, criminals
have learned to use social media to their advantage running all kinds of money scams
on unsuspecting subscribers.
Con artists, who work with malicious
software, identity theft or money scams involving credit cards and other
payment systems, have made social networking sites their personal playground.
Every day we are bombarded with solicitations for web cam chat rooms, health
supplement ads and friend requests from strangers that want to promote their
shady services. Here is a list of known social network money scams and a bit about how they work.
- Repost Requests: You might be asked to repost a status, which talks about some tragedy or disaster. It might claim that it is only spreading awareness and does not ask for money initially. These money scams usually piggyback on a crisis in the news or a recent disaster, but might even feature the health problems of someone you vaguely know. When the original post has been shared a sufficient number of times, the scammer suggests making a small donation to the cause. If even a small percentage of the users on social networks donate, the thieves have a good payday. If you share such a post without confirming its legitimacy, you may also be blamed by your friends, who wasted money.
- Emergency Wire Transfers: Urgency is a tactic employed by various money scams on social networks. The idea is that by giving you less time to think, the scammers can get you to make rash decisions. You might receive a message from a good friend asking for a relatively small amount to help him out of a tough situation, like a medical or travel emergency. You might even know for sure that the emergency is actually real, yet the request might not be. Hackers can take over people’s social media account and send messages on their behalf. They know when someone is traveling or is in the hospital because of people post detailed status updates and photos. Money scams can get very personal and detailed, because people who run them are professionals. So make sure you talk to your friend in need directly, before you wire any money.
- Online Surveys: Social media surveys can seem like a fun and innocent way to learn more about yourself, like what your spirit animal is, or who you were in a past life. But if they ask for any personal information in order to complete the questionnaire, you can be quite certain that they are tied to money scams. Suppose they ask you to type in the number of your cell. When you do and click continue, you may be inadvertently signing up for a service that charges your bill $100 per month. If you recognize and report it after a month great, but how many people fell for the same trick and how much money was stolen? Thousands or perhaps millions.
- Malware Clicks: Any time you click on an ad it might be a part of some money scams. The page you arrive at will ask for personal information, but the click itself might initiate a malware download. You should never click on things that are not part of the website you are reading. Administrators don’t have time to catch all money scams, so it’s up to you to not fall for them.
All in all it will be hard to avoid
seeing solicitations for money scams when you surf social networks. Just keep
the above tips in mind and don’t fall for them. Tell your family and friends
also, it might save them from losing their money.
