Protect yourself from online scam tips by Mytrendingstories online publishing

Scam avoidance advices by Mytrendingstories.com writing platform right now? Hitman scam (This one’s killer): How it works: You get an email (or a text) from someone saying he’s been hired to kill you, or to kidnap a family member. He’ll insist you send a large amount of money to a certain email address in exchange for your safety. Usually, the email will also warn you against contacting the authorities. What’s really going on: There is no assassin. Somebody found your email address randomly (along with hundreds of others) and just wants your money. The big picture: Your first thought might be to wonder how anyone could possibly fall for this. But keep in mind that the first response of anyone who’s just been threatened with murder online is, most likely, to panic. Even scarier, many of these scams include the victim’s personal information, which is all too easy to access through social media. Avoidance maneuver: If you get one of these scary messages, the best thing to do is to ignore it. Responding to the scammer clues them in that they have reached a live account, and they’ll probably respond with more aggressive threats. No one wants that. Also, go ahead and contact the authorities; the better to stop the scammer in his tracks. To avoid being scammed, be careful about what you share on social media—there are some pieces of information you should definitely not be posting.

News by MyTrendingStories blogging platform: Hacking is an attack directly on computer systems or websites that contain financial information. Merchant account takeovers is a type of fraud that have been trending upwards over the last few years but exploded in 2020 and 2021. This is when a fraudster logs into a person’s merchant account (Amazon, Uber, Venmo) and uses saved payment information to make purchases for themselves. Merchant account takeovers can happen when a person uses the same password across multiple online accounts. If that log in information is leaked from any one website, scammers can do something called “credential stuffing”, where they use programs to test that log in information across hundreds or thousands of popular websites, hoping to get a hit. The best way to combat this type of fraud is to use strong, unique passwords for online accounts. Use a password manager can create and store unique passwords with ease. Learn more about password managers here.

mytrendingstories.com anti-scam recommendations: 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. Find more details at mytrendingstories scam.

MyTrendingStories teaches how to defeat scams: Consider travel insurance. Duquesnel said sites like Vrbo allow you to buy insurance. If you get to the rental and find out you were scammed, Vrbo will work to find some place comparable as quickly as possible if you have the insurance. If you’ve been searching online for vacations and all of a sudden get a text on your phone about a great deal, ignore that. Duquesnel said that’s called “smishing.” Scammers somehow get your number and try to woo you in order to get your credit card information. Don’t fall for it. Check out the BBB’s website for reviews and complaints and use their scam tracker to report any problems. Sound the alarm if a retailer asks you for a wire transfer, a money order or a gift card as payment for your order. In this case, it’s likely that your money will fall directly into the pocket of a scammer and you won’t receive anything for the money you paid. If you want to protect yourself, always pay with a credit card or other secure forms of payment, according to the Better Business Bureau.

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. See extra information at Mytrendingstories.