Fraud has probably been around as long as humans have inhabited planet earth. There are people everywhere whose moral compass is either malfunctioning or missing who will not hesitate to enrich themselves by taking things from others. The internet has taken fraud to a whole new frightening level, but that statement should not be viewed as an indictment of the net. Again, fraud has been around forever, and technological developments might make it easier for the bad guys, but the good that comes about as a result of those developments outweighs the bad. Since most of us appear to be so much more vulnerable to fraud these days, it makes sense to be more vigilant. Here are some simple things you can do the reduce your chances of becoming a victim of fraud.
#1 Who are they?
Image Source: Jeff Turner
It’s incredibly easy these days for criminals to make themselves appear to be someone they are not. It’s not hard for tech-savvy crooks to churn out phony websites that may look exactly like your bank’s website. They can also send e-mail and text messages that look like they came from your bank, insurance company, utility company or just about anywhere else. Ditto for telephone calls. Take the extra time to verify who it is you are dealing with. Don’t just respond to any phone call, e-mail or text message you get. If you are at all suspicious, contact whomever it is that has supposedly contacting you to verify their story.
