Much of the world is already using WhatsApp, making it one of the most common messaging platforms. Despite the platform’s convenience and ease of use, the danger of scams is becoming increasingly prevalent. These scams not only take on many forms, from phishing attempts to fake lottery schemes but can also have serious consequences for those who fall victim to them.

Only by being informed and vigilant can you protect yourself and your personal information from falling into the hands of scammers.

The Advantages of Using WhatsApp

To understand why scammers use WhatsApp, consider some features that make it an attractive platform for fraudulent activities.

Anonymity

Scammers take advantage of the anonymity offered by WhatsApp to disguise themselves and trick people into giving away sensitive information or money. Without the ability to verify the sender’s identity, it is easier for scammers to impersonate trusted individuals or organizations and send false information or requests.

Wide Reach

With millions of users worldwide, WhatsApp offers scammers a vast pool of potential victims. This wide reach makes it easier for scammers to find and target individuals, increasing their chances of success.

Ease of Use

WhatsApp is easy to use, even for individuals with limited technical knowledge. This ease of use makes it an ideal platform for scammers who want to reach many people with minimal effort.

Ability to Mask Identities

WhatsApp allows users to create and use multiple phone numbers, making it easier for scammers to hide their true identities. Therefore, it becomes very difficult for authorities to track and apprehend these individuals, increasing their chances of success.

Lack of Regulations and Enforcement

Currently, limited regulations and enforcement mechanisms are in place to prevent scams on WhatsApp. This lack of regulation and enforcement provides scammers with a relatively low-risk environment, further encouraging their use of the platform.

Common WhatsApp Scams

With these features in mind, what kind of scams are WhatsApp users against?

Voicemail Hacks

Cybercriminals often take advantage of the vulnerabilities in the voicemail system to gain access to a victim’s WhatsApp account. When setting up WhatsApp, a user receives a six-digit verification code via text. A scammer can install the app and trick the system into sending the verification code to their device instead.

Once the scammer accesses the account, they can easily impersonate the victim by using their contacts, displaying pictures, and more. They do this by claiming that they have yet to receive the verification code via phone and having it sent to voicemail instead. If the victim doesn’t change the pin used to protect their voicemail, the scammers can retrieve the verification code and take control of the WhatsApp account.

Malicious Links

Scammers also use a simple trick with external links. They send many links that lead users to a website where they receive a prompt to fill out a survey in exchange for a free item. Unknowingly, the victim provides sensitive information like their name, address, bank details, and email address. The scammers can then use this information for theft or sell it to other parties.

Impersonation

An impersonation scam on WhatsApp is when a scammer creates a fake profile or account, posing as a trusted individual, organization, or entity, to convince people to provide information or money. Impersonators may send messages, make phone calls, or post fake content that appears to be from the impersonated source. The scammer may use tactics such as phishing scams, charity scams, fake giveaways, or other schemes to gain the victim’s trust and obtain sensitive information or make them make a payment. Impersonation scams on WhatsApp can be difficult to spot, as they often use the same profile picture and display name as the real source. They may also manipulate conversations and messages to appear authentic.

How to Protect Yourself from WhatsApp Scams

After considering the scams, users must make themselves aware of the warning signs and take steps to secure their accounts.

Verify the Sender’s Identity

First and foremost, users should be careful in verifying the sender’s identity. If you receive a message from an unknown number or an unexpected source, it’s important to be cautious. Before responding to the message, check the phone number to make sure it belongs to a trusted source. You can also perform a reverse lookup on the phone number to determine the sender’s identity.

Ignore Messages That Appear Suspicious

If something about a message seems wrong, it likely is. Scammers often use a sense of urgency or fear to convince you to take action. You can prevent the scammer from gaining access to your personal information by not responding. If you need clarification on a message, it’s best to ignore it and check with a trusted source before taking action.

Do Not Provide Personal Information

Another key way to protect yourself from WhatsApp scams is to avoid providing personal information such as your name, phone number, home address, email, or bank account information. Scammers often use this information to steal your identity or steal your money. If you receive a message asking for personal information, it’s best to ignore it and report the scam to the appropriate authorities.

Report Scams to the Appropriate Authorities

If in the worst-case scenario, you fall victim to a WhatsApp scam, it’s important to report it to the appropriate authorities. You can do this by reporting the scam to WhatsApp, as well as to law enforcement agencies. By reporting the scam, you can help prevent others from becoming victims and bring the scammers to justice.

Although WhatsApp scams are a growing problem, users can prevent them by taking simple steps. By verifying the sender’s identity, avoiding suspicious messages, avoiding personal information, keeping your account secure, and reporting scams to the appropriate authorities, you can protect yourself from these scams and enjoy a safer and more secure online experience.

Protecting Yourself Against WhatsApp Scams

It is crucial to stay vigilant and protect yourself against WhatsApp scams. To recap, users must be cautious of unexpected messages, check the legitimacy of requests for money or information, and verify the sender’s identity before responding. Always be wary of unexpected messages and requests for sensitive information or money, and take the time to verify the sender’s identity before responding.

By being cautious and informed, you can protect yourself from the dangers of WhatsApp scams and enjoy the benefits of using this popular communication tool.

The post Why Do Scammers Use WhatsApp appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

To protect yourself online, here are a few common PayPal scams and how to safeguard your account.

Opening a PayPal account on behalf of a seller

Potentially the most common type of PayPal scam is when a seller hasn’t opened a PayPal account. A seemingly good Samaritan offers to open a report on the seller’s behalf. Still, after handing over details – the scam artist makes off with the account, banking details, and private information. On top of that, criminals scout online for potential victims through e-commerce platforms. This tactic has a potential buyer looking through online profiles, searching for those without a PayPal account. The buyer offers to make a substantial purchase but needs the payment through PayPal.

To help build “trust,” the buyer sends an email to a PayPal sign-up page. Unfortunately, this isn’t a genuine form – it’s a phishing attack to harvest personal information. Filling it out gives the “buyer” your name, location, personal address, billing or financial details, and driver’s license number. Hitting submit on the form sends the details to the scam artist. To prevent this type of attack, never open an email containing an invitation to set up a PayPal account.

Shipment Cannot Be Delivered

A hassle-free way to get someone to hand over funds is to report a shipment failure to PayPal. The breakdown of this scam is as follows: someone places an order for an item they found on your e-shop. They send the payment through PayPal, and when filling out the shipment details page, they supply a fake delivery address. Several failed delivery attempts happened with the order, causing the shipper to mark the package undeliverable.

After being notified of the failed delivery, the scammer supplies a new address to the courier. Once the buyer receives the box, they file a complaint with PayPal for non-delivery. PayPal sees the package was undeliverable, using Seller Protection to get a full refund. They ultimately get your goods and a full refund on the package.

Including a Little Something Extra

This tactic has a seller receive PayPal proof of payment from an undisclosed buyer. The buyer ultimately tries to contact the seller, saying he’s overpaid and would like a refund of the difference. Finally, there are two outcomes to this scam:

Scammer Hijacked Someone’s PayPal Account to Send the Payment

When the actual account holder realizes the account is compromised, he will file with PayPal. The platform will ultimately reimburse the charge in total. As a result, the seller loses the goods, and the “something extra” the seller was supposed to receive.

Scammer Uses Their Personal PayPal Account to Carry It Out

A scam artist orders an item and sends the payment through PayPal in this situation. The buyer starts complaining about the order (excessively). The criminal then contacts PayPal to complain about the transaction – whether it’s defective products, poor quality, or products not matching the ad. Ultimately, the buyer becomes eligible for a full refund. He keeps the items he ordered and receives the extra money.

Helping the Less Fortunate

This scam often pulls at the emotional heartstrings of individuals, typically posing as charities. A fraudster will contact individuals with a heartfelt message requesting aid. Most often, these resurface shortly after a natural disaster or artificial problem. The user leaches off the emotional do-gooders, pocketing the money you send.

Friend of the Family Request

We often get hit with money requests from friends and family, especially when financial unrest increases. PayPal’s “Family & Friends” option allows a quick payment with minimum fees. A scam artist takes advantage of this situation by contacting you and asking to send the money through this feature to avoid paying regular fees. Unfortunately, this function doesn’t allow Seller Protection. The seller gets the funds through this feature, avoids paying fees, and you’re without the money and product.

Intense Call-to-Action

A powerful call-to-action can cause an emotional response from a buyer, primarily if it’s well written. For those using email phishing, these CTAs are overzealous and colorful. They’ll often promise users anything they can to trick you into sending cash. Unfortunately, for those inexperienced buyers, failing to read the terms and conditions is quite problematic (high shipping rates, for example).

The Fake Invoice

The least popular PayPal scam is the fake invoice. These emails are so perfectly created it’s impossible to tell the difference between them. A user receives an email stating they have paid a fee or subscription, along with a link to the payment form. When the user clicks the link, nothing happens. Unfortunately, the link redirects users to a fake PayPal page, sending your credentials directly to a scammer.

Switch Out to Money Transfer

We’ve all heard of the bait-and-switch between genuine buyers and shady sellers. An individual contacts an online “shop” hoping to purchase a few items. When it comes time to pay the invoice, the seller requests a wire transfer or Western Union payment. Unfortunately, these methods don’t have clear refunding policies – meaning you’ll be without your money and your products.

Private Shipping Companies

This quick money-grabbing method involves a scammer requesting a private shipping company instead of your standard channels. In some cases, they’ll mention they own the shipping company. If the seller agrees, the buyer will reroute the transport. The PayPal shipping address doesn’t match so that the platform won’t cover a loss. The scammer then files a complaint about the shipping, and PayPal refunds the account.

The Suspended Account

This is another method of email spoofing, using a suspended email template. Unfortunately, this method is highly effective, convincing users to log in to regain access to their accounts. Once the credentials are entered into the website, the website gives an error message. The hacker keeps the login details while the victim is left without credentials.

Protecting Your Account from PayPal Scams

One of the easiest ways to protect your account is knowing common fraud attempts and how to stop them. Disclosing your account credentials, including username, password, or financial statements, is a huge problem for online safety. On top of that, never open any suspicious links or spam emails. Remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Although there are many reasons for shipping to a different address, never ship outside of the registered address on file. Monitor your account for transactions or unrequested withdrawals. Don’t be afraid to offer a full refund on something that feels amiss.

Conclusion

While PayPal is a popular payment platform, it isn’t without risk. Protect your account whenever possible by recognizing these hacking and phishing attempts. Finally, always confirm the direct email address on any correspondence you receive from PayPal. Ensure it reads as support@paypal.com; any variations of spelling or suffix are a phishing attempt.

The post Common PayPal Scams & How to Protect Yourself appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

Why are Scammers Interested in Your Apple ID?

Your Apple ID is the ticket to using anything Apple-related, granting access to large stores of personal information. Any photos or files stored on the Cloud are susceptible to theft, encouraging blackmail and extortion through hacking.

Types of Apple ID Phishing Scams

Apple ID Receipt Order Emails

Anyone with an Apple ID can purchase through iTunes, the App Store, Apple Music, and the iBooks Store. Most of these phishing attempts will start with a subject line including “Receipt ID,” “Receipt Order,” or “Payment Statement.” The hope is to convince a user that a payment was made using your credit card. Users seeing these emails are likely to act quickly, worrying over card or account compromise. When opening an attached file, a website loads requesting personal details. These might include account login, credit card numbers, or address verification.

Apple will have all address details on file and never ask users to confirm their account. They also don’t ask for Social Security Numbers or email verification.

Apple ID Phone Call Scams

Unfortunately, Apple scams have gone beyond phishing emails and into illegal scam phone calls. Scammers will use a spoofed phone number, showing us an actual Apple number (complete with Apple logo, customer support number, and address). These details make it difficult to distinguish false calls from authentic ones. Remember, genuine Apple representatives won’t ask for iCloud credentials, Apple ID passwords, or other personal data on the account. When in doubt, hang up the call and contact Apple directly.

Apple ID Fake Text Message

Another phone tactic is the infamous text message. Most scam artists will contact users with a generic statement about account compromise. Likewise, cybercriminals might send a message about your iCloud status, hoping you click the link to reactivate the account. They subsequently send a link asking users to restore access through the form or a phone number to contact. When a user reaches the phone number listed, an agent will ask for credentials, payment information, or remote access to help you further.

Temporarily Disabled Apple ID Email

The blocked account text message, these emails will include an account compromise in hopes a user clicks the link to verify their account. These websites lead to malicious websites, most often trying to steal your data. The website will look almost identical to the authentic version, except for a few key differences. These websites often won’t have the same button functionality as the actual website and may include spelling or grammatical errors.

App Store Pop-Up Requesting Password

While this attempt isn’t yet functional, Apple ID phishing scams can occur in the application. This method includes a false sign-in request within the app, seemingly identical to the authentic version. This pop-up is likely successful as most Apple users need to enter their password when using an Apple app. Always hit the home button to confirm the application closes to verify authenticity. If it does, this was a phishing attack. If it remains, it’s a system dialog that isn’t part of an app.

Fake Calendar Invitation

These hacking attempts involve an invitation in Mail or Calendar that you didn’t make. Never accept these requests—report it as junk and delete the email. Occasionally, users may have subscribed to a SPAM calendar request, but it’s a simple fix for users.

The iPhone Gets Locked

Chances are if your phone is showing a locked status, you’ve likely fallen victim to an Apple ID phishing attempt. In this situation, hackers already have your Apple ID and have accessed all accounts connected with the user ID. The hacker can now report the phone as lost and activate the “Find My iPhone” capability. Most criminals will keep the phone locked until the individual pays a ransom to recover the data.

Spotting an Apple ID Phishing Scam

As technology continues to advance, so too do phishing attempts. Although it’s becoming challenging to identify phishing attempts, it’s not impossible. Here are a few known warning signs to watch out for:

Spelling and Grammatical Errors

Apple will never send out emails with spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Although phishing emails might imitate legitimate emails, there are notable differences in the email content. Some examples include “Please verfy” instead of “Please verify” or misusing verb tense “We have detect” instead of “We have detected.” Finally, Apple will always use American English for their emails. When in doubt, always look through previous emails from the company to look for similarities and differences.

Unprofessional Website or Email Design

Apple never requires users to give their Apple ID through email or messaging. Apple will only send out emails through appleid@id.apple.com. You may wind up on a random website page if you’ve clicked on a link through the email. Most of these sites have an unprofessional design, with errors throughout. Sometimes these pages are glaringly obvious, while others aren’t as noticeable. If you hover over the email sender and see a different address, it’s likely a phishing attempt.

Random Links or Shortened URLs

Apple doesn’t use shortened URLs or abbreviated links in its communication. Report them right away and delete them from your account if you see these.

Bizarre Email Attachments

While Apple may send you attachments periodically, it will never contain EXE, CMD, MSI, or JAR extensions. These files are encrypted, most often requiring passwords to access. They’re also likely to hide malware or viruses within them.

Urgent Action Required

How an email is written can say a lot about the company. Apple will never send you emails suggesting impending doom if you don’t act urgently. Always delete time-sensitive emails and visit the website directly. If there’s nothing there about your account, it was likely a phishing attempt.

General Greeting

Apple will always address you by the account holder’s name, never as a generic title. If you’re receiving an email with “Dear Customer,” it’s a scam and should be deleted immediately.

Confirm Your Purchase History

If you receive an email about an account purchase, log in to your Apple account directly. If you don’t find the transaction listed under your recent purchases, it was a phishing attempt. Apple invoices never contain hyperlinks.

Conclusion

Always stay informed when it comes to online security and new phishing attempts. While Apple is known for safety, it doesn’t stop cybercriminals from trying to gain access to your account. By staying aware of new phishing methods, you’ll lessen the chance of having your personal information compromised.

The post Apple ID Phishing Scams to Watch Out for in 2026 appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

Phishing Email Scams

Over one-third of all security incidents originate with malicious attachments or phishing emails, making it a severe threat to online activity. Phishing scams use email or social networks to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. A criminal messages people hoping to trick them into providing details like bank accounts, membership sign-ins, social networks, or company logins. From there, users click a malicious link that leads them to an authentic-looking platform. Unfortunately, criminals control it, using the acquired details for ill intent.

The Nigerian Scam

Arguably one of the oldest and most popular scams, this attempt focuses on a member of a Nigerian family with wealth, hoping to trick and lure different people. The lure promises large amounts of money in exchange for a small fee to cover legal costs. The scam often involves an emotional and urgent letter (sent through email, text message, or social network) asking for help retrieving a large sum of money. Should someone fall victim to the initial transaction, the sender becomes more and more pressing, asking for more significant amounts. In the end, the victim is left broke and without any of the promised funds.

Greeting Card Scam

While greeting cards are becoming less common, this scam preys on holidays. Pretending to be a family or friend, the internet scam uses greeting cards to inject malware onto a device to extract valuable data. When a victim opens the email and clicks on the card, malicious software downloads onto the user’s operating system. The computer sends private information and financial data to the fraudulent server when this happens. The type of malware varies, from annoying popups to dangerous networks of affected computers.

Bank Loan or Credit Card Scam

As financial distress hits, many people fall victim to “too good to be true” offers that guarantee large amounts of funding have been preapproved by the bank. Most of these “offers” come with steep processing or handling fees, leaving victims without cash and preapproved accounts. Always watch your accounts closely (particularly with online transactions) to prevent this attack. Also, follow the rule of thumb; if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Lottery Scams

The lottery scam is another classic attempt that doesn’t seem to get old. This scam comes through as an email, with the sender indicating a giant lottery payout is coming. Most of these scams require the victim to pay small fees, often to cover “shipping or delivery.” Unfortunately, there’s no prize money at the end of this scheme – it leaves victims without their cash indefinitely.

Hitman Scams

While this might seem a bit far fetched, the hitman scam is one of the most frequent types of online coaxing you’ll find. Cybercriminals send individuals an email, often threatening to cause harm if a ransom isn’t paid. Depending on the criminal, the threats can vary but might include kidnapping or imminent harm to the victim or family. Scammers will often incorporate personal information sourced through social media or public records to make the threat seem more real.

Online Dating Scams

A romance scam often takes place on a social media network or dating website; most scammers build a strong emotional attachment with their victim, often using love bombing and exclusivity to form trust. From there, the scam artist always has a reason for not meeting up and ultimately needs help from the victim to secure funds. These might include plane tickets, car repairs, or medical bills. The romance fizzles out immediately once the victim stops sending money to the scam artist.

Fake Antivirus Software

Almost everyone has come across the message of current threats on our computers, mainly when advertising a specific antivirus program. Criminals developed these popups to mimic genuine software, convincing users to download the program. Once downloaded, the software installs malware, Trojans, or other viruses onto the computer. They might also include ransomware, blocking and encrypting files until a ransom is paid (or never unlocking them despite payment).

Social Media Impersonation

Social media channels are highly active, making them the perfect spot for criminals to make a quick buck. As an account becomes hacked, shared connections are unaware of the attack. From there, most criminals will spam out messages, hoping to gain personal information or funds from unsuspecting people. Alternatively, a criminal might set up a fake duplicate social media profile in hopes of connecting with those closest to you.

Economic Scams (Get-Rich-Quick Schemes)

This scam preys on those wanting to earn a quick buck online, promising fake jobs or positions to get a sizeable income. Unfortunately, this tactic preys on the financially vulnerable, preying on the emotional side of victims. These posts often use work-at-home scams, where the criminal lures the victim into giving away personal information and financial accounts in hopes of landing a job. These positions never come to fruition, leaving victims open to identity theft.

Travel Scams

These scams will frequently include highly discounted offers for exotic locations, particularly around hot summer months or holidays. Most of these offers fail to disclose hidden fees or costs until you’ve already submitted payment. Other scams take money for the trip without sending the victim anywhere. When booking a vacation, always use a reputable travel advisor to book the trip.

Fake Bitcoin Scam

These scams take advantage of those wanting to get into the crypto market, offering digital wallets open to hacking and scammers. Most notable scams include Ponzi schemes, fake Bitcoin exchanges, and malware.

Fake Shopping Websites

As online shopping becomes increasingly popular, it’s important to remain cautious about the sites you’re buying from. Thousands of websites redirect users to false information or malicious programs, stealing credit card details upon checkout. Even worse, some websites steal financial information without sending any products. Always be suspicious of any website offering significantly discounted products online.

Job Offer Scams

Scam artists often pose as employers or recruiters looking to fill a position within a company, hoping to attract individuals looking for a job. They often use fake or attractive positions to lure people into sending their resumes and personal details. Some will start with a phone call or email, claiming to be from a reputable company interested in hiring you. From there, you’ll send your personal information right into the hands of criminals.

Loyalty Points Phishing Scam

Many popular websites offer a loyalty program for their customers, enticing them to stay loyal to the brand. This scam involves a cybercriminal sending a phishing email to a customer mimicking the loyalty program (typically offering bonus points). From there, individuals enter their account number or sign-in details into the website link, unknowingly compromising their account.

Conclusion

While online activity continues to increase, so do the threats that leave us vulnerable. Although we can’t permanently eliminate the risk of scams, we can be aware of them. Through education and awareness, users can protect their information online, reducing the probability of account compromise or financial loss.

The post 15 Common Online Scams appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

For example, take the case of Victoria Morrison. Morrison told people her son had a terminal illness then launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to fund her son’s bucket list. The campaign raised $2000 before Morrison was arrested in 2017 and charged with obtaining money under false pretenses.

The good people who donated to Morrison’s campaign were not cynical enough to believe that someone could be so callous as to pretend their son was suffering from a terminal illness to get money. Unfortunately, they were duped. To avoid getting fooled yourself, read our advice on how to spot a fake fundraiser.

Use External Source to Verify

There are a lot of good people in this world, many of whom feel compelled to do whatever they can to help when a fellow human is suffering. Fortunately, crowdfunding sites make it easy to donate using your credit card or external services like PayPal. However, before you donate, you should make sure the cause you’re funding is legitimate by using external sources. The easiest way to do this is to use Google or another search engine to look up one or more of the parties involved. If the cause is real, there will likely be news articles that support the story being told on GoFundMe. If you don’t find anything written about the cause, you should be suspicious. A real fundraiser will want as much attention as possible, whereas a fake one will hide from the media.

For instance, several fake fundraisers once used the name of a meteorologist from Alabama to raise money purportedly to rebuild his house, which a tornado destroyed. In actuality, however, the meteorologist’s house was fine; his yard was just a little damaged. Furthermore, he wasn’t involved in any of the fundraisers.

Examine the GoFundMe Description and Updates

Every GoFundMe campaign has a description of what the cause is about. Reading the description carefully can help you spot fraudulent campaigns. For example, the description should provide clear details about why the person needs financial assistance. On the other hand, if the description is vague or overly wordy, you should be cautious. Also, be wary of descriptions that seem too long or too short. If someone is trying to pull off a ruse, they will either provide as little information as possible or too much information in an effort to overwhelm the reader.

Additionally, a marked absence of photos is another sign that something is amiss. Furthermore, the photos should include the organizer. Lastly, look at the Facebook page noted in the description. If the account is fairly new and has less than 40 friends, they probably created the account to support their fake campaign. This is a huge red flag and means you should head the other way immediately.

The other place you should look on a GoFundMe page is the Updates section. If GoFundMe believes a campaign is potentially fraudulent, they will usually ask the people involved to clarify things for the site’s users. This might mean clarifying a person’s relationship with the subject of the campaign or providing more details about their financial situation. For instance, in one case, a woman raised more than $200,000 to prevent her eviction, but she’d described herself as a mother to three young girls. This was misleading as, in truth, she was a mother figure in their lives, not their biological mother. Consequently, GoFundMe required her to post an update stating the reality of her relationship with the girls. Therefore, as a donor, you’ll be well informed if you make sure to read the updates section.

Donate to Verified Charitable Institutions Instead

While you should feel good about donating to GoFundMe campaigns, this platform isn’t the only way to financially help someone in need. For example, there are a number of sponsor-a-child campaigns where you directly contribute to the communities where young people live, allowing them to have a better life. That being said, charitable organizations have had their fair share of scandal as well. However, it’s much easier to spot fraudulently philanthropic institutions. This is because verified organizations must file for charity status with the government, and they often provide transparency about where a donor’s funds are going. Furthermore, when a GoFundMe campaign raises more than its goal, the creators aren’t obligated to say what they do with that money, and so it’s possible they might not use your funds for what you intended.

Research and Read Previous Donor Comments

Another way to discern whether a GoFundMe campaign is legitimate is to read the comments from people who’ve already donated. You’ll want to look for comments from people who identify as the family or close friends of the beneficiary. If the campaign is for real, family and friends will surely want to show their support and help encourage people to donate. Therefore you should be suspicious of any campaign where only strangers are donating. Take the case of the woman who raised more than $2000 to cover her husband’s funeral and cremation expenses. Not only did none of her family or friends comment on the campaign, but her relatives were the ones to out her to the police. Her relatives alleged that she left her husband’s body at the morgue and used the campaign funds to pay her living expenses. This ultimately led to a police investigation and an indictment. However, just because a campaign doesn’t have friends or family support in the comments doesn’t necessarily mean the fund is fraudulent. Nonetheless, it should prompt you to dig deeper just to be safe, as it is a red flag.

Conclusion

If you’re an empathetic or giving person by nature, you might feel compelled to donate to a GoFundMe campaign after hearing about someone’s tragic situation. However, before you get out your credit card or log in to your PayPal account, take a step back and look critically at the fundraiser. First, do a quick Google search to ascertain the validity of the cause and then read the GoFundMe description, updates, and comments sections carefully. If you get a bad feeling at all about anything you read, then consider donating to a verified charity instead. For instance, rather than donating to an individual affected by a natural disaster, consider donating to the Red Cross, which helps numerous people after a natural disaster.

The post GoFundMe Scams: How to Spot Fake Fundraiser appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

What sets Poshmark apart from other internet retailers like Etsy and eBay is its social component. Poshmark is a social eCommerce platform, meaning that in addition to buying and selling, users can follow others and engage with their clothing listings by liking, sharing, and commenting.

Additionally, Poshmark offers daily virtual “Posh Parties,” where users can list qualifying items in a live party. This live party allows sellers to have more eyes on their listing. For example, a party for Lululemon attire would be the ideal time for sellers with Lululemon products to gain exposure for their listings.

Buying and selling used clothing is a trend that is increasing in popularity from year to year. For example, in 2019, 70% of consumers over the age of 18 said they were buying or were open to buying used clothing. However, by 2020, this percentage increased to 86%. Furthermore, in 2020 alone, 33 million people bought secondhand apparel for the first time. These statistics imply that people are becoming more aware of the cost-saving and environmental benefits of shopping secondhand. Statisticians predict that this trend will continue to gain popularity, believing that by 2025 the used apparel market will have a worldwide value of $77 billion U.S. dollars.

Although Poshmark offers people the opportunity to sell and buy secondhand apparel, is it safe to do so? Unlike Etsy and eBay, which have a track record of being secure sites, what do we really know about Poshmark? Read on to find out whether you can trust Poshmark for your secondhand buying and selling needs.

Poshmark, Is It Legit?

According to people who have used Poshmark to both buy and sell, this site is reputable. In other words, buyers can purchase actual items, and sellers actually receive money for selling things. However, there is no guarantee that the people buying and selling on the platform are legit despite the site’s legitimacy. Fortunately, Poshmark has protections in place for both buyers and sellers.

For instance, buyers have the option to either accept or return an item after they get it. In fact, the buyer’s payment won’t be released to the seller until the buyer acknowledges the receipt of the item and approves the purchase. Furthermore, a seller’s shipment is protected by Poshmark so long as they use the site’s pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping labels. Additionally, they require signatures on any orders with a value of over $400.

What about Buyer Safety?

When it comes to keeping your cash and identity secure, you need to be cautious about who you give your information to. This is why, even though Poshmark is a secure and legitimate site, you still need to take several precautions to protect your money, privacy, and purchase.

Transaction Safety

The way Poshmark works is that you give your payment information to the site and not the seller. Consequently, the seller never sees it. Instead, Poshmark processes your payment and then pays the seller directly after you’ve confirmed that you received and are happy with your purchase.

Even though Poshmark’s platform is secure, safe, and private, buyers should be aware that there is always some risk involved when making a purchase online. For instance, a seller could misrepresent an item or disguise its defects. However, if this happens with a product bought on Poshmark, it’s very easy to resolve. All you have to do is take pictures of the item and then open a dispute with the site. In addition, Poshmark promises that they will return your money if the item is “not as described.” In other words, you have complete transaction safety.

User Privacy on Poshmark’s Platform

Poshmark protects your identity in several ways. For starters, the platform allows you to choose any username you desire. Therefore, you can disguise your real name. Additionally, you aren’t required to provide any information about yourself. It’s up to you to decide how much you want to share on your Poshmark profile page. Essentially, the only thing you will have to share about yourself with sellers is your mailing address. This is necessary because they need to be able to ship your purchase to you. This is a common practice for most eCommerce platforms, including Etsy and eBay. However, you can always set up a P.O. box if you have concerns about a stranger knowing your home address. Alternatively, you can have the item shipped to your workplace.

Common Poshmark Scams You Should Know About

Unfortunately, there are always going to be people who try to scam you online. Therefore, you must always be on the lookout for con artists. To ensure you’re protected on Poshmark’s platform, let’s look at three of the most common scams found here.

Not Transacting on Poshmark’s Platform

There isn’t a messaging feature on Poshmark. Therefore, the only way for buyers and sellers to communicate is by leaving comments on an item. In these comments, a common scam that you’ll see is people asking that the seller or buyer make contact through email or other messaging apps.

Poshmark states explicitly that it does not cover transactions that take place outside of its platform. Therefore, you’re taking a huge risk if you agree to buy or sell something outside Poshmark.

False Damage Claims

One of the most reported issues on Poshmark is buyers claiming an item is damaged and sellers insisting they shipped the item in very good or brand new condition. Unfortunately, the only way to dispute a false damage claim as a seller is to take a video or photograph of your items before you ship them, so you have proof of the condition they were sent in.

Designer Products that are Fake

As the popularity of luxury designer items increases, platforms like Poshmark are increasingly beset with people selling counterfeit items. Therefore, as a buyer, you should look at several things before purchasing a designer product:

• When was the account created? Be wary of any newly created accounts with no feedback.
• How much are they charging? If they have a lot of brand new but very cheap designer goods, you should be cautious.
• Do they want to transact outside of Poshmark? This is a sure sign you shouldn’t trust them.
• Are their pictures blurry? This is a sign that the product might be counterfeit.
• Does something seem off? Trust your gut.

If you end up buying something that turns out to be counterfeit, you can open a claim with Poshmark. If your claim is approved, you’ll get a return label and a refund.

However, if you’re a seller and someone claims you sold them a fake item, you’ll need to have supporting documents and other proofs to prove you sent an authentic product.

If you want to avoid the issue of authentication altogether, as either a buyer or seller, you should consider Poshmark Authenticate. With this service, the seller will ship the item to Poshmark directly, and they will authenticate it before sending it to the buyer.

So, is Poshmark Worth your Time?

Poshmark is a great way for consumers to help the environment while getting great deals on clothing and accessories. Sellers also help the environment by preventing used clothing from ending up in landfills and making a profit while doing so.

Overall, Poshmark is a safe platform for buyers and sellers. However, you still have to take responsibility and know how to protect yourself as a buyer and about protecting yourself when selling online.

The post Is Poshmark Safe and Legit? (Surprising Facts) appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

A common example of this attack is receiving an e-mail from what SEEMS like it’s your bank. The e-mail says if you don’t login immediately, or update your password, something bad will happen to your account. This prompts you to click a malicious link and enter your information. This gives the perpetrator the opportunity to steal your credentials and your other information. That same type of website can also be used to install keyloggers or viruses on your computer, giving the thief access to everything that you do.

What is DNS Spoofing?

DNS cache poisoning/spoofing is a cyber-attack that tricks your computer into thinking it’s going to the correct address, but it’s not. Attackers use DNS cache poisoning to hijack internet traffic and steal user credentials or personal data. DNS spoofing happens when fake data is introduced into the DNS resolver’s cache, which in turn causes the server to return an incorrect IP address.

The DNS resolver answers with the IP address, which is taken from the web server, and thus the website is loaded in more simple terms, these types of attacks exploit weak points in domain name servers and redirect traffic towards illegitimate websites. The thief tries to choose sites that they believe the victim is more likely to log into. These can include sites of banking and financial institutions, insurance providers, health-related organizations, and government, as well as restricted sites.

DNS cache poisoning attacks are sneaky and difficult to catch for average people. If an attack like this is successful, it can have dire consequences to its victims. They can direct you to a website that looks exactly like your bank site, and then get your personal information that way. With that information they can take all of your funds or open up brand new accounts using your information.

How can You Avoid Being a Victim?

Detecting whether your DNS server has been tampered with or you’ve been infected with DNS changer malware can be difficult. The majority of us don’t usually check our DNS settings, and its very possible that only a few of them have been affected, so you won’t see any major changes in your computer. Plus, it’s actually the responsibility of the website and network owners to prevent these types of attacks.

However, don’t think all hope is lost. There are a few things that you can do to protect yourself ad an individual from DNS spoofing.

1. Always make sure the website you are going to is HTTPS, which means it’s secure. You can even install a browser plugin like HTTPS Everywhere that will warn you if you are going to a dangerous site. You can also check that a site is secure by looking for the little lock icon at the top left side of your browser, right by the URL
2. Remain aware of what links you are clicking on links from emails or ads. When I get a phishing or suspicious email, I’ll actually open up another tab and go directly to the site itself to see if I have any messages. You can also hover over the link with your mouse BEFORE clicking on it, to see what the URL is. If it pops up as something other than the site you always use, don’t click it!
3. You can use a reserve email search service to see if this is a legit company.
4. Use your common sense. If you get an e-mail from an institution you have no affiliation with, you know it’s fake. Common institutions will NEVER ask for your personal information through email or the phone. All government agencies and financial companies will most likely contact you by paper mail.
5. Call and ask! This is the easiest way to tell if the email is a scam. Call the direct number to your bank or governmental institution and speak to someone and ask if there is any suspicious activity on your account. They should be able to assure you that everything is okay and may even ask for the email address the scam email came from to add to their watch list.

The post What is DNS Spoofing? How You Can Avoid It appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

That being said, working from home isn’t always filled with positives. There are some companies that get you to work for them, and never pay you. There are also some who can potentially steal your personal information, just by you willingly filling out normal onboarding paperwork.

What Exactly are Remote Work Scams?

When money is tight, a work-at-home opportunity might sound like just the thing to make ends meet. These scams look just like normal job opportunities but are in fact just a way for criminals to exploit your hard work or steal your information.

Other work-at-home offers simply don’t deliver on their guarantees. The advertisements don’t reveal to you that you may need to work a great deal of hours without pay, or don’t unveil all the expenses in advance. You may go through your own personal funds on false promises that you will rapidly acquire it back — yet you don’t. Individuals deceived by work-at-home advertisements have lost a huge number of dollars, also their time and vitality.

It’s important to follow your gut feeling and know the clear-cut signs that a work-from-home opportunity isn’t on the up-and-up. Let’s explore some common work-from-home scams.

Common Remote Work Scams

There are a ton of remote work opportunities available so it can be hard to spot the difference, especially when you’re looking for something when you’re in a jam.

• Medical Billing

  • Now, medical billing is a real and legitimate career, but it is actually never done remotely. Scammers can collect a ton of money from you saying it’s for software and equipment that they will send you to get started. And after that, they won’t tell you that the list of clients they give you is likely false information.

• Envelope Stuffing

  • For a small fee, the ad says, you’ll make lots of money stuffing envelopes. Seems simple enough right? But after you pay, you discover there is no work. Rather, you get a letter instructing you to get others to purchase a similar envelope-stuffing opportunity or some other product. You earn money only if those people respond the same way you did.

• Internet Business

  • This one really seems like a dream come true. You can make thousands of dollars a month and the business will be 100% yours. The catch? They say no experience is necessary because they have expert coaches to get you ready, but you have to act fast and pay right away. The “expert training” often comes with additional prices and fees. More often than not, the scammers are just looking for lump sums up-front and your credit card information.

• Mystery Shopping

  • We have all seen adds for this, and it seems like it could be a really fun opportunity, if only it were actually real. Some of these mystery shopping scams charge for a fake certification that is completely bogus. Others are running fake check scams — they ask you to deposit checks and wire some of the money back. Then you find that the check is fake and are on the hook for the full amount. You should never have to pay to get into the mystery shopping business.

• Survey Schemes

  • As much as we’d like to think out opinion matters, it really doesn’t. These work much like the other scams in asking you to pay an upfront fee to get access to higher paying surveys. If a company really wanted your opinion, they would be paying you, not the other way around.

• MLM Marketing

  • MLM stands for multi-level marketing. Some of these can be legitimate opportunities, so it may be tough to differentiate. The best way to tell is that a real MLM allows you to make commission on the sales of their product. If anyone suggests recruiting is the real way to make money, know this: MLMs that survive on recruiting new participants rather than retail sales are pyramid schemes, and those are illegal.

Fastest Way to Recognize and Avoid These Scams

Here are just some of the signs to look for that should make you think twice:

• Get rich quick promises
• They ask for money upfront
• You don’t speak with or see a real person
• They use a generic e-mail account, like gmail, aol, yahoo..etc.
• The job description lacks detail
• There is little to no information about the company
• High pay for super simple tasks

Conclusion

Now this is not to scare you way from looking for remote work opportunities, we just want you to be prepared. Always go through legitimate sites like Remote.co, Indeed.com, FlexJobs, or a recruiting agency. You will run into many of these scams through craigslist or local classified ads.

Remember, as with any job, do your research. Check to see if they have a website, employee reviews, and do reverse phone and email searches to make sure they’re legit.

The post Protect Yourself from Remote Work Scams appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

In the case of vacationers Ian and Denise Feltham, the Ibiza penthouse they rented for more than 9,600 pounds — the equivalent of nearly $12,000 — wasn’t even real. They told CNN* they grew concerned about their reservation before they even showed up but that no one at Airbnb did anything. Eventually they were issued a refund, and the listing was taken down.

Most Airbnb scams aren’t this expensive, or this elaborate, but they can still cost the customer more than they bargained for. We want to make sure something like this never happens to our dear readers, so let’s dive in.

What exactly is an Airbnb scam?

The main scam is when the host tricks you into booking their listing (giving them your hard-earned money) by using a fake listing or copying another host’s listing. Now again, some of these scams can vary. From a completely nonexistent property to not having a pool when the listing stated they had one. Either way, it ends up costing you money and ruins the vacation experience.

Other Common Airbnb Scams and Our Tips:

• 1. The money grabber

  1. You show interest with a property and send the host a message. The hosts messages you back asking to send payment outside of Airbnb, maybe they even offer you a discount. If you move forward and are disappointed with the property you aren’t included under Airbnb’s terms and therefore not protected and cannot get a refund.

     TIP: NEVER pay outside of the Airbnb platform

• 2. Charging for extra cleaning or damages that don’t exist

  1. This one is extremely frustrating. After ending your stay, refreshed and at ease, you received a complaint on Airbnb. The complaint says that you’ve damaged something in the home and need to compensate the host.

     TIP: Clean as much as you can before you leave, and take pictures documenting the property how you left it. Even better is to have some time stamped proof in the pictures, a newspaper would work.

• 3. The old “bait and switch”

  1. You book your property, and everything is fine. Then the property becomes unavailable for some irritating reason, and the hosts offers to put you up in one of their other properties. Turns out, the other property is awful compared to what you originally booked.

     TIP: Refuse their second option and make sure the hosts cancels. If YOU cancel, you will have to pay the cancelation fees.

• 4. Fraud sites

  1. When a fraudster spoofs an Airbnb site, or any other property renting site.

     TIP: Always check the URL that is in your browser to make sure it’s Airbnb.com.

Hosts can get taken advantage as well. Criminals can run scams such as:

• Offering to pay more by a check or money order, and having the host give them the rest of the balance in cash.
• Straight up stealing from the host
• Squatting and refusing to leave

How Can You Spot an Airbnb scam?

Sometimes going with your gut is the best way. But here are some other signs to look for:

• Listings with the host’s “personal” information

  • Airbnb actually bans direct contact to try and protect its users. If someone is encouraging you to chat outside the platform, stay away.

• URLs sent by email

  • As mentioned above, there are many criminals who try and spoof sites like Airbnb and they look real. Always double check the site that you’re on before purchasing.

• Stock images

  • Some things really are too good to be true. If the listing looks like a staged home or something from a photoshoot, do a reverse image search and see if those pictures anywhere else on the web.

• No reviews

  • This is a little tricky because it doesn’t always indicate a scam is happening. It’s also comforting to review what other guests said about the host or property before booking.

• Cash only

  • Any host that asks for payment outside of Airbnb is trying to swindle you. Legitimate hosts would never break the rules that way.

• A ton of listings under one host

  • Most hosts manage only a few listings. If you click on the host and it shows a huge amount of properties listed, be wary.

What else can you do if you’ve been scammed?

This is a tough one because Airbnb has a lot of restrictions in their terms, and it’s not like they’re a hotel that can just book you another room.

If you are a victim of fraud, document everything – conversations, photos, text messages, emails – and contact Airbnb immediately. The sooner you call, the sooner you can start to go through the process to get your money back. Contacting your bank or travel insurance company is also a good idea for extra back up.

Bottom Line?

Follow your gut, do your research, and keep documentation of everything. Safe Travels

The post Scammed on AirBNB: The Steps You Should Take! appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

Here’s a statistic that’ll make you think twice about just how savvy you think you’d be when dealing with scammers via social media: According to a Stanford Center on Longevity study in 2019, 91% of social media users who have been contacted by a scammer, engaged with them, and 53% became financial victims.

If your immediate reaction is “Yikes!”, you’d be well within your faculties. It suggests that most of us need a little brushing up on what it is to look for when it comes to these money scams. Well it just so happens you have come to the right place.

The Instagram Scams

Alright so typically speaking, Instagram money scams take place when someone creates a fake profile, or even worse, is able to get into an account you are following. They then proceed to employ the account to trick you into divulging your personal data, and ultimately hoping to syphon money out of you.

Impressively, Instagram boasts over 1 billion active users, and it is absolutely infested with scammers looking to find new ways to reach their victims.

Skeptical about how prevalent it really is? Look no further than to Instagram itself who regularly offers tips and suggestions on how to avoid the nasties that they know exist within their network.

Spotting The Instagram Money Scams

• The Money Flipping Scam

  This is a spin on the old “Want to buy a bridge?” routine. Typically the scammer will approach you with an amazing investment opportunity. Throwing around hot words like “cryptocurrency” and while displaying false return reports. But as soon as you send the investment, they magically disappear.

• Fake AID

  These will usually ignite following a natural disaster somewhere around the world. Fake accounts will be set up to appear as they are legitimately affiliated with well-known aid organizations in order to try to elicit charitable donations from you. The big snag here is that typically you never know as you make a donation and move on feeling pretty good about yourself. Rarely do we call and follow up on our donations.

• The Lotto Scam

  You’ve been alerted that you are the winner in an online lottery and a prize is waiting for you. The catch? You first have to pay some sort of fee in order to unlock your prize. Or in some cases they need the money to ship you your price/cash. You pay and again, you never hear from them again.

• Loan Scams

  If you are ever offered some kind of instant loan program on social media. Know it’s absolute nonsense. But in these cases, you are offered an instant loan for a small advance fee. That loan will never be seen.

• Roses Scams

  a scammer will have a sob story to rely on. Maybe they are recently divorced, or their spouse has passed away. After sending and receiving romantic messages from you, they’ll start asking for cash.

• Job Seeker Scams

  What easier way to collect unsuspecting data than to post a fake job and direct people to their website to fill out forms. You may even be asked to pay a fee for premium placements. Unless it’s a trusted job site, I’d steer clear.

What To Do When Approached

• Under no circumstances should you ever accept any kind of money request from someone you do not have some sort of relationship with. Never send someone you don’t know payments. It’s silly this even needs to be typed.
• Don’t allow yourself to be pressured. Their goal is to get money out of you as fast as possible. Just slow things down a bit.
• Never share your information with anyone you don’t know. Especially really sensitive data such as your social security number, credit card data, passwords, bank info etc.
• Research the accounts that are contacting you. You can use CheckPeople to do online people searches on individuals who have contacted you to ensure that they are who they say they are. That they do not have a criminal history and that everything matches up as presented. It’s always good to dot your I’s and cross your T’s.

The post Avoiding Instagram & Twitter Money Scams appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.