2 new scams Komando readers emailed to tell me about
Everyone hates scammers, but we have to give them credit for the effort. You can only fool people for so long with the same old tech support and phishing scams, which is why creative new scams deserve extra attention and scrutiny.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, some scammers are going as far as threatening to infect their victims with the virus if they don’t play ball. Tap or click here to see how this bizarre extortion scam works.
If you’re not experienced with scams, it can be difficult to tell if a scheme is real or not. That’s why we’re walking you through two clever new scams shared with us by Komando.com readers. Once you know what to look for, you’ll be able to spot these scams before they trick you.
Facebook accounts for cash
Not every country has access to Facebook, which is why some foreign residents may rely on VPN services or proxies to create accounts. If someone offers to pay you to create an account for them, that’s a red flag for a strange new scam targeting Facebook users.
Here’s how it works. Potential victims receive a message from the scammer claiming they cannot create an account due to a national firewall or censorship issue. They’ll offer to pay you in exchange for creating a Facebook account and request banking information so they can send you funds by wire transfer.
The scammer won’t actually send a payment but will pay themselves using the victim’s bank account. Wire transfers are difficult to reverse, which makes this scam tricky to fight.
If you get a message from someone about creating a Facebook account, keep these tips in mind to protect yourself:
- Ignore any requests to create a social media account in exchange for money. This is a red flag for scams.
- Never share bank account information or payment details online with unknown people.
- If Facebook is illegal for someone to use in another country, helping them create an account means you’re helping them break the law. It’s not worth the trouble, even if the request was legitimate.
- China, Iran, Syria, and North Korea are the only countries with continuous bans on Facebook. China, North Korea and Iran have an extensive history of conducting cyberattacks on U.S. businesses, individuals and government entities.
Tap or click here to see how Iran attempted to interfere in the 2020 election.
Kicking pet owners at their lowest point
Owners of lost pets will often post listings to sites like PetFBI.org to see if anyone can help with their search. Scammers are now targeting these listings with false claims that they found missing pets to trick victims into sharing personal data.
Watch out for this COVID-19 blackmail scam
We’ve seen a lot of COVID-19 related scams appear in the past few weeks. In fact, the issue has become so disruptive that agencies like the FTC and FBI are warning consumers to tread cautiously when checking their emails or answering phone calls.
Don't believe your ears. Is voice cloning the future for clever scammers?
There are already enough concerns in life out there to keep people with anxiety up at night. Think things can’t get any worse? Well, you’re wrong. New voice impersonation technology could be a game-changer for scammers.