Insight into the sophisticated tricks of online fraudsters

Imagine you are selling a valuable item on Willhaben. A seemingly interested buyer gets in touch and wants to use PayLivery to process the transaction. Everything goes well, and before you know it, you've lost money without your item selling.

Inconceivably? Yes! Impossible? Unfortunately no. – Learn how scammers imitate Willhaben’s PayLivery service to deceive you.

The WhatsApp strategy: How fraudsters lure you away from the secure platform

It starts innocently enough. A prospect asks you for more pictures or more information about your product. But instead of staying on the Willhaben platform, he suggests switching to WhatsApp. This is the first warning signal: communication is being relocated to a platform that does not have Willhaben's protection mechanisms. The risk? You could fall into a trap.

What is behind the fake PayLivery offer?

It is a sophisticated scam. The “buyer” offers you payment via PayLivery, but does not send you a link via Willhaben, but rather via WhatsApp. And this is exactly where the catch lies: PayLivery is a secure service – as long as you use it directly from Willhaben. If you are directed to the site via an external link, you have probably already fallen for a scammer.

The deceptively real email: fraud at second glance

You have agreed and are waiting for payment confirmation. Shortly afterwards you will receive an email that looks amazingly real. But be careful! As soon as you click on the link, you will land on a fake payment platform. The scammers further trap you by claiming that the payment has already been made. All you have to do now is enter your credit card details and confirm the payment in your bank app to receive the amount. Sounds tempting? But this is where the trouble really begins. Because in this way you release a transfer yourself.

Damage limitation: How you can protect yourself

It is important that you act immediately if you notice the fraud too late and have already authorized payments. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately. There is a chance that the transaction can still be stopped. And don't forget: go to the police and report it!

Conclusion

Buying and selling online is so easy that sometimes you forget how important it is to act carefully. The good news is that you can protect yourself. Being informed and aware of scam tactics can help you protect yourself and your money. It may sound banal, but in the digital age the old saying applies more than ever: “Trust is good, control is better!”

Source:

Watchlist Internet

This might also be of interest:
Massive phishing risk on online sales portals
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Online banking in the crosshairs: How to pull the plug on the fraudsters!


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