Mytrendingstories offers recommendations on avoiding online scams? Travel scams (Don’t get wander-lost): How it works: You get an email advertising an amazing deal on airline tickets to some exotic destination. Or, you see such a deal on the social media account of what appears to be a legitimate airline. What’s really going on: Like the “free trial” scam, these travel scams often have all sorts of extra costs hidden in the fine print behind that alluring cheap price. Most likely, you’ll end up with a lighter wallet and no plane ticket. The big picture: The peak time for these kinds of online scams is summertime, when people have vacation on the brain. They’re also common right before holidays such as Christmas and New Years. Scammers intentionally choose exotic, remote places that would be difficult to get to without their “amazing offer.” Finally, they throw in an expiration date, saying that you’ve only got so many weeks or months to take advantage of this offer, hoping that a sense of urgency will rope you in. Avoidance maneuver: Scour the details of the offer before clicking any sort of confirmation button, and certainly before giving any payment information. Make sure that what you see really is what you get. And, even if you crave a solo trip, it can’t hurt to get a second pair of eyes as well. Another good tip is just to stick to travel agencies you trust; there are plenty of legitimate sites that still offer good deals. Finally, learning these cyber security secrets hackers don’t want you to know will help you stay one step ahead of scammers.
Latest news with MyTrendingStories online platform: Where to Turn for Help? If you’ve become the victim of a fake check scams, there are certain steps you should take right away. Stop Further Losses. Start by locking or closing accounts that may have been compromised. Place a fraud alert and consider freezing your credit. Visit com or call (877) 322-8228 to request your free credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies. Change your passwords if applicable. Keep Records. Take and keep notes — details could be important if recovery is an option. And contact your local police. They may not be able to investigate, but having a report may help with future claims. File Reports. You’ll want to alert the appropriate authorities that you’ve been scammed. Start with: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Identity Protection Unit (800) 908-4490; The Internet Crime Complaint Center (a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center); The U.S. Postal Inspections Service (if the check arrived by U.S. mail).
Mytrendingstories anti-scam guides: First, don’t trust the messenger, no matter who they say they are or what it says on caller ID. Do not act immediately. Break the contact and take a 10-minute breather. Get some water. Scammers often push “secrecy,” so talk to someone you’re sure is likely to remain calm. Think about your options to independently verify any alarming message. Google is a great scam-confirmation tool. Your local police and your bank are also resources for you in a moment like this. Call them on phone numbers you personally get from their official websites. Find out what you’re really dealing with and then your next steps will become clear — especially if it’s a scam. If your “prior preparation” saves you from falling for a scam, spread the word. Tell others what happened and help them learn how to prepare to save themselves too. Discover more info on mytrendingstories scams.
Mytrendingstories discuss how to defeat scams: Say you come across an ad for 95% off your favorite item. You click on the ad and are taken to a website where you can shop for deals. You subsequently put in your personal information to redeem the ad and get your product. At that point, the scammer has got your information and will leave you high and dry. If you’re skeptical of a deal, see what the item is selling for at other retailers. Conducting a simple price comparison can help you spot if the deal is truly legitimate or just an attempt to lure in you into throwing money at a product or service that doesn’t exist. Be careful when using a public Wi-Fi connection, and avoid it completely if you intend to buy products and enter payment information. The chance for identity theft increases when using public Wi-Fi. Sometimes online criminals will set up a similar Wi-Fi network to the one you’re expecting to use, hoping you’ll connect to it, according to AARP. If you do need to use public Wi-Fi, make sure you’re also using a virtual private network.
WARNING: The coronavirus pandemic has seen a rise in scams. There has been an increase in criminals looking to exploit financial and health concerns by asking for money for fake services upfront, collecting personal information or bank details, or offering temptingly high returns on made-up investments or pension transfers. For full information see our blog on coronavirus scams to look out for and how to protect yourself. Scams are fraudulent schemes that dupe people into parting with their personal details and/or cash. They’ve been around for as long as we can remember, but they’re no longer confined to shady door-to-door salesmen or dodgy second-hand car dealers. Find even more info on https://mytrendingstories.com/.