Sextortion
This one is rising in popularity and usually targets teenage boys, though girls are also targets. I hate to even be writing about this one, but it’s out there, so I’m writing about it. One of the things that pushed me to go ahead and write about it was a story I read this morning about a teen who committed suicide because of this very thing. If I can play a part in preventing this from happening, then it’s worth posting.
What to look for: This is done through social media apps or online gaming. A person claims to be an individual, usually the opposite sex, acts super friendly and eventually gets the victim to send a nude pic to them. Once they have the pic, they demand payment or else they will supposedly send the pics to all your friends and family for the sole purpose of embarrassment. The victim is being extorted and payment is demanded to avoid embarrassment.
Why it’s a scam: This one is pretty straightforward. You think you’re hitting it off with someone online only to discover it was all fake, and now you’re being extorted for payment. There was never a real relationship.
How to avoid it: The U.S. Department of Justice offers several safety tips on this scam. I’ll post them below. Bottom line: never send nude pics to anyone, especially if you don’t really know the person.
The U.S. Department of Justice offers the following safety tips:
Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
Be in the know. Any content you create online — whether it is a text message, photo, or video — can be made public. And nothing actually "disappears" online. Once you send something, you don't have any control over where it goes next.
Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don't seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.
Online Purchase Scam
This one is prevalent on online person-to-person purchases, such as Facebook Marketplace. In fact, every time I’ve listed an item on marketplace, I’ve had to filter through the fake accounts to get to the real person who actually wants to make a purchase.
What to look for: If you are selling something, a potential buyer wants to buy your item immediately without asking questions about it, negotiating price, or even seeing the item. The buyer is in a hurry and can’t wait for you to respond. The buyer also won’t see you in person—they will send somebody else to pick up the item for them. They’ll also insist on paying you through an app, like Venmo, instead of paying in cash. The story will be something like a recent or upcoming move, a purchase for a friend, or some other reason they aren’t currently anywhere near you and aren’t physically coming to purchase the item themselves.
Why it’s a scam: I’ve never personally gotten to the point where someone else picks my item up(because I already know it’s a scam, so there’s no point in reaching this stage). What I can say from other people’s experience is that they can send the funds to you via ACH, but then the payment will return. What happens on the buyer’s end is that they deposit a fake check into a bank account and ACH the money to you. By the time the purchase is finished and the item is out of your reach, the bank realizes the check is fake and charges back the funds to the buyer’s account. Then, the app that was used in the transaction is sent a notice by the bank that they need to return the money back to the bank. The app company then bills you for the funds. So, you’re out the item you were selling AND you just gave it away for free.
How to avoid it: (I’m speaking specifically about Facebook Marketplace in this paragraph, but any online marketplace should have buyer/seller profiles and the advice can carry over.) The first thing I do when someone messages me about an item for sale is view their profile. If they joined within the last 2 months and have zero activity, it’s likely a scam. A real person’s profile would have been around for years and have normal activity, like regularly posting pictures or statements. The profile picture would also be a real person, versus what looks like a stock image. If you have a potential buyer who is brand new to the platform, but indicates they do live close to you and will pay in cash, then you’re probably ok. Just make sure they understand cash is the only option. They can’t arrive in person and insist on a cash app purchase. You’re best option is always cash.
College Student Payment Scam
I’ve seen this one take on some slight variations, but the setup is typically consistent. It always involves a stranger paying a person(usually a college student) a lot of money for a minimal service. For example, a $3,000 payment for 2 hours’ worth of work on website design. If the payment sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The victim is also asked to remote deposit a check.
What to look for: I can only speak from the banker’s perspective on this one and from multiple interactions with victims of this scam. A stranger contacts the college student and promises a large payment for minimal work. As a broke college student, this sounds like a great deal. Contact can be made online or in person. The payment is usually received by mail. The victim is instructed to remote deposit the check. Sometimes, the check is written for more money than promised, and instructions are given on what to do with the extra amount(MASSIVE RED FLAG). Sometimes, the victim is coached on what to say at the bank(also, MASSIVE RED FLAG). Sometimes, the stranger asks for online banking login information so they can remote deposit the check for the victim.
Why it’s a scam: The check is always fake. Whether it’s for the exact amount or not, the check is fake. Once the check is deposited, the bank fraud department will swarm in, freeze your account, and deny any future access to that bank again. Often, that outcome is broadcast on a banking network, so it can become extremely difficult to open a new bank account at most banks, not just your current bank.
How to avoid it: Ask yourself, “Is this a reasonable payment for the services I’m rendering?” If a normal rate for your type of work is $10-$50/hour, is it reasonable to expect a rate of $1,500/hr? No, it isn’t. Never trust a strange who tells you what to say to the bank representative. If you are coached on how to deposit a shady check, RUN! Never give your online banking login information to anyone unless you already know them and fully trust them. Never accept a check that was written for more than the agreed amount that is accompanied with instructions on what to do with the extra amount. I am serious—this scam will RUIN a person’s ability to ever have a normal banking relationship for the rest of his/her life. It’s possible to get off the “Do Not Bank” list, but only after some consistent, focused effort to clear your bad name and get a fresh start.
Romance Scam
This is another one I’ve seen happen many times. Most of the victims I’ve seen are elderly women, although one was in her early 40s. One victim that stands out in my mind was trying to wire money to her “fiancé” overseas and we started asking questions in the bank since we all knew what was happening. She went on and on about how hot this guy was and insisted she had a picture of him on her phone. After looking for about 5 minutes, she couldn’t produce a single picture. We didn’t wire the money.
What to look for: Any relationship that starts online, originates from another country, and quickly turns to marriage plans is a big red flag. Even if you’re suspicious, but still open to true love, look at for the request to wire money so the person can buy a plane ticket to come see you. That is 100% scam material right there. As soon as the money gets wired, it’s gone. You’re not getting married and you’ll never see the money again. You can’t click the “undo” button on a wire transfer. If it isn’t a wire transfer, then it’s a request to withdraw money from your bank with instructions to purchase bitcoin. The country of Nigeria is usually the country of origin for scams like this, although there are others.
Why it’s a scam: It’s a ring of several criminals working together all day to secure funds via wire transfer. They prey on lonely people and promise a wedding. There isn’t going to be a wedding and you’re going to be out several thousand dollars from the wire transfer with no recourse.
How to avoid it: Since this scam primarily impacts the elderly, talk to your family members who are in retirement age and single. They will feel lonely and are more susceptible to this type of scam. Tell them to never respond to requests for love online, especially if the source is international and there is a request for money. These scams are also accompanied by instructions on what to say to the bank about the funds transfer.
Bottom Line
While this list is by no means an exhaustive list of scams, these are the most common ones I’ve seen at my job(except for the Sextortion scam, which I’ve only read about). I’ll end with a list of common red flags that can apply to every scam. If you see any of these, RUN!
· A request from a person you’ve never met before to send money or pics or any type of sensitive information
· An offer that seems too good to be true
· An overpayment with instructions on what to do with the extra funds
· Coaching on what to say to the bank representative
· A threat of harm if you don’t follow instructions
