Fighting Online Fraud
With advances in the Internet on a positive note follows with advances in the negative aspects. The internet can be a home for a huge number of scams that target the consumers, the vulnerable, investors and also business owners.
You will have no doubt witnessed the ever growing rate of e-mails, websites, bulletin boards, forums and newsgroups offering an easy way to promised riches and untold wealth. However, in the majority of cases of promised wealth - they are untold scams.
Internet fraud is not unlike other more conventional scams that have been around for generations. Mail scams, junk mail and telephone scams were the scams of yesterday; today, we have Internet and online fraud. The internet has opened up many doors for scammers, giving them a market place fully open to the idea of getting rich quick.
The reason for this is simple; the internet gives scammers easy access to millions of people needing more money, more people that are happy to invest their money into a potentially lucrative scheme and business owners who have the opportunity to invest or capitalise their businesses.
There are many forms of online fraud and ways that we can all fight against it. There are instances of online fraud that are more known to many people and others that are as well known.
Credit card fraud is actually not that common when shopping online and it generally is safe.
However, if you shop on websites that are not fully secure you do run a high risk of having your details stolen. To combat credit card frauds online, only shop at secure websites and at reputable dealers.
Another form of online fraud that is often forgotten is that of counterfeit goods. It is all too easy to start a website and a store, and sell counterfeit goods claiming to be authentic. There of course is no way to check the items are genuine until you receive them at home. By the time you have realised that they are counterfeit it could be too late. You may go back to the website to complain to discover it no longer exists.
Online fraud can also take form in a horrible way - promising people suffering from real illnesses, often critical, a miracle cure. Cancer cures, slimming pills and soaps and other such products are rife on the internet. Unfortunately, the scams are aimed at people who are willing to give anything a go as they may be feeling like there is no other option.
To try and avoid being ripped off and being a victim of online fraud always check you are buying from a reputable seller. Beware of copycat sites that make themselves look like the actual brand to try and dupe people into giving them their money, often for items that don't even exist. Check for contact details and never give anyone money if they have no verifiable contact details. If the website does have a phone number, ring it during office hours to see if you can get in touch with a real person.
You will have no doubt witnessed the ever growing rate of e-mails, websites, bulletin boards, forums and newsgroups offering an easy way to promised riches and untold wealth. However, in the majority of cases of promised wealth - they are untold scams.
Internet fraud is not unlike other more conventional scams that have been around for generations. Mail scams, junk mail and telephone scams were the scams of yesterday; today, we have Internet and online fraud. The internet has opened up many doors for scammers, giving them a market place fully open to the idea of getting rich quick.
The reason for this is simple; the internet gives scammers easy access to millions of people needing more money, more people that are happy to invest their money into a potentially lucrative scheme and business owners who have the opportunity to invest or capitalise their businesses.
There are many forms of online fraud and ways that we can all fight against it. There are instances of online fraud that are more known to many people and others that are as well known.
Credit card fraud is actually not that common when shopping online and it generally is safe.
However, if you shop on websites that are not fully secure you do run a high risk of having your details stolen. To combat credit card frauds online, only shop at secure websites and at reputable dealers.
Another form of online fraud that is often forgotten is that of counterfeit goods. It is all too easy to start a website and a store, and sell counterfeit goods claiming to be authentic. There of course is no way to check the items are genuine until you receive them at home. By the time you have realised that they are counterfeit it could be too late. You may go back to the website to complain to discover it no longer exists.
Online fraud can also take form in a horrible way - promising people suffering from real illnesses, often critical, a miracle cure. Cancer cures, slimming pills and soaps and other such products are rife on the internet. Unfortunately, the scams are aimed at people who are willing to give anything a go as they may be feeling like there is no other option.
To try and avoid being ripped off and being a victim of online fraud always check you are buying from a reputable seller. Beware of copycat sites that make themselves look like the actual brand to try and dupe people into giving them their money, often for items that don't even exist. Check for contact details and never give anyone money if they have no verifiable contact details. If the website does have a phone number, ring it during office hours to see if you can get in touch with a real person.
davemerchant - 8. Feb, 14:33
