Scam Likely: 5 Warning Signs You're Being Jipped online
Almost nothing is worse than someone preying on your emotions. You scroll on social media to distract yourself from situations that may be too heavy to think about, such as the fact that you need to start paying off your debt. Then, BEEP! You receive a new message promising money. Something that you need. You want to believe it, but is that dangerous? Is it too good to be true? Let's explore the common signs you may be falling into a scam if you aren't aware of them.
1. Someone who doesn't follow you emails you randomly or just followed you on social media and tells you that you will get "X amount of money JUST by clicking the link." And their grammar is off. Run, issa scam!
2. The person seems to be just about themselves. They only care about their goals and just want you to join something. If they don't take the time to properly learn your needs and see if what they have to offer even fits you, that's a red flag. It's best to head out with that one.
3. They aren't able to answer your questions or get someone to help them answer your question. Don't sign up for anything when your questions aren't properly answered. You may regret it!
4. Someone is claiming to be someone they're not. This one is difficult to detect, but NOTICE the difference between a real account and one that is impersonating it. Not all real social media accounts have the verified check mark, but it doesn't mean they're fake accounts. Usually, the person running the fake account will add one letter or an underscore to the username of their account because the real account's username is already taken. You have to pay close attention. The imposter often uses the same profile picture that the real account uses and sends a message to you. If the message feels off, it probably is. It appears to be the real person who wants to help, but this imposter just wants your money. They don't care about you. There's a few things you can do to determine the legitimacy of the account. See if it has a few followers or has a lot in the thousands/upper hundreds. Is it following a good amount of people and are some of those people actively engaging on their posts?
This is like the online version of those car warranty scam calls. If you don't have a car, you know it's fake. Even if you do have a car, call your local dealership for help. It's like getting a second opinion and making sure everything "checks out" like the detectives on the crime shows say. You can do the same on social media. Find a way to verify that what the person is saying is true or not by asking who the person who messaged you has helped and if you can speak to those customers/referrals online. If they're people you know, it'll be easier for you to verify! If you don't know them, see if you can look them up on social media using the search bar and finding their email in their profile. It'll usually be an "email" button under their follower count.
Pay attention to the real practices of the places you may have purchased from. I'm going to use the student loan servicer example. Their advisement is free. If someone you don't know offers you consolidated loans or student loan forgiveness online or over the phone in exchange for money, it's a scam. Financial advisors and coaches may charge for their services in helping you save enough money to pay off loans (which is fine), but I don't! If you want my assistance with getting on track to paying off your debt, you can register for the free training here.
5. Someone makes up a fake story that seems real and like it can incriminate you. You know you haven't done anything wrong, but it still bothers you. What the person writes makes you want to click the link like clickbait, but if you do, it'll probably allow them to hack your account. Another scenario is maybe the person writes a message to you that seems like a life-or-death situation and says the only way you can rectify the matter is by giving them your bank details or social security number. Don't give them up!
Let's make it harder for these crooks to steal our information and identity. Get some anti-malware software for your devices. Clear your browser history. Take a cyber security course online so you understand the additional signs of scams and how to prevent them. And above all else, be wary of clicking links without understanding what is being asked of you or what is being offered.