Posted on 03/09/2024 9:31:27 PM PST by nickcarraway
As technology gets more sophisticated, so do scammers. As bad actors adapt to the times, cryptocurrency scams are becoming a bigger problem, duping Americans out of huge sums, the Better Business Bureau said.
In its annual Scam Tracker report, the BBB said investment and cryptocurrency scams were the “riskiest” type of scam in 2023. Scammers are using people’s general lack of understanding about cryptocurrency to their advantage, the Bureau said, promising huge returns on investment for purchasing Bitcoin.
One victim, who shared her story, said she came upon a cryptocurrency scam while watching a YouTube video about Bitcoin investments. People in the comments said they made money using a trading service, so she reached out to the investment firm.
Red flags when dating someone online
“Shanell was told to buy Bitcoin through Cash App and send $1,500. Though it stretched her financially, she sent the money. After 10 days, she received a screenshot that showed her account increased to $7,345.56,” the BBB said.
The problems came when she tried to withdraw her earnings. She was told to pay a $700 commission plus an $800 broker’s fee. The broker still wouldn’t give her the so-called earning, demanding another $1,200 in fees. That’s when she realized it was a scam.
The median loss reported for investment and cryptocurrency scams was $3,800
Another scam growing more prevalent since the pandemic are employment schemes. You may think you’re accepting a job offer, but you’re actually being recruited to help with fraud. That happened to one St. Louis woman whose new “employer” deposited $2,400 into her bank account, then asked her to go purchase $2,400 in gift cards and send them the numbers on the back. Her bank later told her the $2,400 check was fraudulent, and she never heard from her “employer” again.
‘Layers of deception’: Federal agencies warn about AI scams Employment scams were more likely to target people under 45, while investment and cryptocurrency scams targeted older people, the BBB said. Romance scams were also a growing problem, especially for those over 65.
The 10 riskiest consumer scams in 2023, according to the BBB, were:
Investment/cryptocurrency
Employment
Online purchase
Home improvement
Romance
Advance fee loan
Phishing/social engineering
Credit repair/debt relif
Tech support
Travel/vacation/timeshare
To determine how “risky” each type of scam was, the BBB looked at a few metrics: how prevalent the scam was last year, how much money victims lost, and how likely victims are to lose money once targeted.
But money isn’t the only thing victims lose to scammers. They also reported losing time, compromising their personal information and risking their credit scores.
To avoid falling victim to scams, the BBB advises people:
Trust your gut if the offer sounds too good to be true
Forgot to mention the zillions of texts I get from the RNC.
I’ll take Number 2. Send her over.
I had someone call my personal cell and claim to be with Publisher’s Clearinghouse (in a very thick accent).
I decided to mess with them and asked them if they were aware that they had called a government agency. They replied “F*** the Government” and hung up, so they can’t be too bad.
The local school district staff regularly get phishing emails designed to look like the principal’s and superintendent’s email address.
At the beginning of COVID, someone in the district screwed up and got the entire system locked down with ransomware. The insurance company negotiated with the scammers and regained access at a reduced amount.
All of these scammers should be rounded up and dealt with appropriately.
******
Hit squads are a good idea that comes to mind…..
***she would radio the car to come arrest me.***
LOL. I received a similar call. Also got call my grandson is in jail and needs help, lots of calls for medicare help. Lots of calls wanting to buy my property.
At the plant I worked at all calls are forwarded to me in the control room after working hours. One evening I got a call someone selling house siding. I mentioned this was a business and not interested.
Then the second phone rang, same come on. Then the third, fourth, fifth, then the supervisor’s call rang. Same offer.
Why are you posting pictures of my girlfriends?
“My baseline assumption anymore is that everything is a scam.”
Good starting point! :>)
When I find it’s a scam.
I forward scam emails as an attachment to abuse(at)cox.net. My banks and other institutions have similar addresses for phishing emails. It may not do any good but.......
I have a “hobby” of reporting scam posts on FB marketplace. They are easy to spot.
>An unbelievable low price.
>The same item/pictures in multiple cities.
>”Is this item available” requests direct you to the aunt they are selling it for at a gmail address.
If you send me a $1,000 deposit, I can have her at your doorstep this afternoon. I accept all gift cards.
Sign me up!
“I am happy to say yesterday was the fourth time I won the Readers Digest grand prize”
I “won” the PCH Sweepstakes about 3 years ago.
I don’t enter PCH Sweepstakes so I knew it was a scam.
I was waiting on a repair person so had time to kill and played along.
Finally was told my check way on it’s way and would be delivered as soon as I paid a $250 delivery fee over the phone with credit card. I said I would pay $250 in cash when check showed up they finally hung up then.
Wife to husband: I’m pissed!”
Husband to wife: “Still or again?”
And a good sized minority are devoid of morality, scruples, ethics, shame, etc
“Still or again?”
LOL!
I get 2 types of calls all the time:
“GRANDMA-—I’M In JAIL”
“We want to buy your house.”
I am now proficient in yelling & swearing rather quickly.
I HAVE NO KIDS-—or GRANDKIDS
MY PROPERTY IS NOT FOR SALE.
Facebook has the employment scams and free covid money scams on it all the time.
A community college in MS had its IT system locked down from ransomware. A reduced payment was negotiated which the specialized insurance covered. After that other CCs went to more secure air-gaped backups.
Biden the buffoon never mentions this problem, but he surely doesn’t like fewer doritos in the bag, or late fees on credit cards.
Maybe the idiot could send a few drone strikes on the scammer filth rather than continue bankrupting the country giving all our military weaponry to terrorists and letting every illegal alien criminal waltz across our borders.
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