Get a lot of money, preferably by winning the lottery? This is the dream of many people! And this dream is often exploited.

In a scam, profits are promised, but those affected should have a certain amount of money ready, for example in the form of iTunes voucher cards, to pay the money messenger. These payments then have to be made in advance, as they would be offset by the significantly higher profit at the end.

The whole thing is called advance payment fraud and there are many variations. Thomas Westermann from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center explains on ZDF: competition fraud (broadcast on April 3, 2018).

Virus fraud – also known as scam – hasn’t just been around since yesterday. You have to know that the people who commit advance fee fraud know exactly what they are doing! The victims, in turn, usually make the mistake of keeping quiet about being ripped off out of false shame and not reporting it.

No end in sight

Anyone who has paid once will continue to be harassed. The criminals continue to demand monetary payments until the other person realizes that there is nothing in return. From this moment on they go into hiding and are no longer accessible to their victim. What remains is lost money. What makes matters worse is that the perpetrators have personal information about their victim. You can use this to commit crimes under someone else's name.

Scamming explained graphically

MIMIKAMA
How you can recognize scamming.

What do you do in the event of damage?

If you come across scammers, immediately break off all contact with the perpetrators. Report the crime to the police and discuss what action is necessary to ensure that you do not suffer further harm. Check regularly - for example using a search engine - whether your data has been published on the Internet. If this is the case, write to the website operator and request that the entries be deleted.

You can recognize scamming or advance payment fraud when strangers contact you, demand that you provide personal information and request money transfers abroad under false pretenses.

Related Links:

via Watchlist Internet


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