Avoiding online scams advices by Mytrendingstories blogging platform right now? What are the worst scams? The scams that are most reported to Netsafe are scams like tech support scams, event ticket scams and cold calling scams. The scams where people lose the most money are usually romance scams, investment scams and invoice scams. Keep your personal information secure and be sure to think carefully before entering your details online, or giving them to someone. Protect information that can be used to access your accounts, build a fake online presence or impersonate you including: Netsafe can’t open investigations or track scammers, but we can offer advice for people who have lost money in a scam or think they are about to. This includes letting you know the steps you can take and advice about how to stay safe in future. You can report a scam to www.netsafe.org.nz/report.

News with Mytrendingstories blogging platform: Did you receive an unexpected check in the mail and think, “Great! Free money?” Not so fast. Cashing that unexpected “windfall” may result in losses, reveal your personal financial information to scammers, or both. If you receive a check from FINRA, do not cash it—unless you have a current business relationship with FINRA. Call (301) 590-6500 to speak with a FINRA staff member. According to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission, complaints about fake check scams remain in the “Top 10 Fraud Categories” and were on the rise during the first quarter of 2021. Whether the check appears to be from FINRA, your broker-dealer or other legitimate business, think twice before attempting cash it. These checks may arrive by special delivery and require a recipient’s signature, but don’t be fooled. That’s all part of the ploy to make the check seem legitimate.

MyTrendingStories anti-scam tips: Maybe you wouldn’t be frightened by this scam or that scam. People are getting better at recognizing the common scams and ignoring them. But scammers keep adapting and they specialize in pushing emotional buttons with just-credible-enough claims. One day a scam could “get to you.” It will be a situation where you’ll be afraid that what you’re being told could be true. The scammer will put tremendous pressure on you to act before you have time to think or control the adrenaline rush, just like the couple in Hingham. Take the opportunity now — as with a fire drill — to plan for how you and your family and friends will deal with an “alarming news” message threatening to lead to some “dreadful” potential outcome. See even more details at mytrendingstories scams.

Mytrendingstories shows 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.

Scammers continue to find more creative ways to get your cash. This guide can never be completely comprehensive with all the latest scams but we aim to help you to learn what to look out for. The stories around the scams may change, but what you should do to spot and avoid them doesn’t. Have you ever heard of the email from a Nigerian prince wanting you to share his fortune? The person stranded overseas needing £1,000 to get home which they’ll pay straight back? Or the lottery you’ve won in Spain – even though you don’t live there, and have never entered a lottery there? The best way to prevent scammers from getting their hands on your hard-earned cash is to know how to protect yourself in the first place. Here are our top tips on how to avoid scams. They aren’t all fail-safes, but they can help you think before you act. Rule of thumb: Mistaking the genuine for a scam is nowhere near as bad as mistaking a scam for the genuine. Find additional details at Mytrendingstories.