Get the information you need to protect yourself from imposter scams.
Get the information you need to protect yourself from Imposter Scam.
Romance scams, also known as online dating scams, are amongst the most common scams on the internet. Millions of people every year use dating apps or social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat to make connections and find love, but sometimes all they end up with is a broken heart and an empty wallet.
Lurking among this sea of potential partners are scammers who establish your trust over several months with the intention of stealing your hard earned money or obtaining personal information about you to steal your identity. Oftentimes, romance scammers will keep up the act for years, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from their victims.
There are many different types of job opportunity scams, but they all have one thing in common: they’re designed to steal your personal information or money. Some scams involve offers of fake jobs, usually promising high salaries and quick start dates. Others pose as employers or recruiters, asking for your personal information or financial data as part of the application process. And still others promise to help you find a job, for a fee. These scams are typically crafted to look like legitimate job opportunities, but they’re actually designed to steal your money or personal information.
Charity scams are schemes in which scammers pose as representatives of legitimate charities in order to collect money or personal information from unsuspecting victims. These scams often occur following major disasters or other newsworthy events, when people are feeling generous and want to help those in need. While there are many legitimate charities that do important work, scammers will try to take advantage of people’s goodwill by creating fake charities or using real charity names to solicit donations for themselves.
Debt collection scams typically involve someone posing as a debt collector who contacts you — by phone, text message, mail or email — trying to collect on a debt that doesn’t exist, or for an amount that is much higher than what is actually owed. In some cases, the scammer will threaten legal action or wage garnishment if the debt is not paid. In other cases, the scammer may promise to help you repay what you owe. These types of scams can be very difficult to spot, as the scammers often use fake names and contact information. They may also use intimidation tactics to try and get you to pay.
A government or military imposter scam is a type of fraud where scammers pose as government officials or military members in order to trick you into giving them money or personal information. These scams can take many different forms, but all aim to exploit your trust in the government and/or military.
During a government imposter scam, the scammer will pretend to contact you from a government or military agency such as the IRS, Medicare , Social Security Administration or VA. They claim that if you don’t pay a fine or provide personal information you could be deported or arrested, or lose your government/military benefits.
Phone spoofing is when a scammer uses caller ID to make it look like they’re calling from a legitimate, trusted source. This can be done by using a fake caller ID generator, or by hacking into a real business’ phone system. Once the scammer has spoofed their caller ID, they will often make unsolicited calls to people, trying to sell them something or trick them into giving away personal information.
Robocall scams are similar to phone spoofing scams, but instead of using a fake caller ID, the scammer will use automated call software to make thousands of calls at once. Often, the scammer will use a recorded message in an attempt to trick the person on the other end into giving away personal information or money.
A family emergency imposter scam is a type of fraud where the scammer poses as a family member or friend in need of urgent financial assistance. You will typically be contacted by phone, email, or social media and told that your relative or friend is in some kind of trouble and needs money immediately. The scammer may say that they are stranded somewhere, have been in an accident, or have been arrested. They may also claim to be in the hospital or facing eviction. The scammer will often use emotional manipulation to convince you to send money, often through gift cards, wire transfer, or prepaid debit cards. They may also ask you to provide personal information such as your Social Security number or bank account information.
A government or military imposter scam is a type of fraud where scammers pose as government officials or military members in order to trick you into giving them money or personal information. These scams can take many different forms, but all aim to exploit your trust in the government and/or military.
During a government imposter scam, the scammer will pretend to contact you from a government or military agency such as the IRS, Medicare , Social Security Administration or VA. They claim that if you don’t pay a fine or provide personal information you could be deported or arrested, or lose your government/military benefits.
An investment imposter scam is when someone tries to convince you to invest in a company or opportunity that doesn’t exist. They may promise high returns or tell you that the investment is low risk. The scammer will often create fake documents, websites and social media profiles to make their company look real. They may also use the names of well-known companies or celebrities to make you think their investment is legitimate.
If you’re thinking about investing in an opportunity, do your research first. Make sure you understand the risks involved. Be especially careful if you’re asked to pay upfront for an investment or if the investment guarantee sounds too good to be true. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
It is not unusual to be contacted by someone claiming that you have won a prize, lottery or sweepstakes. However, many of these offers are scams designed to trick you into sending money to the scammer. With the continued growth of social media and other electronic communications, scammers are finding new ways to contact you with the wonderful news that for just a small claim fee, you have won some large amount of cash, a luxury car, free vacation, or other non-existent prizes. Unfortunately, you may find that you’ve been impacted by a sweepstakes scam and sent the scammer money to “claim/receive” your prize.