How to Avoid 10 Common Email & Internet Scams

How to Avoid 10 Common Email & Internet Scams

1. FOREIGN LOTTERY: An email from a foreign lottery telling you that you have won money. HOW TO AVOID: Be suspicious if the sender is a person. If your name is not in the TO: Field, it is a hoax. You should also use Google to check if it's real.

2. QUIZ SCAM: You are asked for your phone number in order to take a common social networking quiz. Your cell phone bill is then charged a service fee. HOW TO AVOID: Never provide your phone number on requests for apps or quizzes that you don't know.

3. SURVEY SCAM: Contains a link where if you on it, it could upload a virus and can install Spyware on your computer. HOW TO AVOID: If you haven't requested to be on a mailing list, then you know it's a scam.

4. MYSTERY SHOPPER SCAM: You are offered a job to be a 'mystery shopper', but are asked for money upfront or you are sent a fake check. HOW TO AVOID: Remember these things: If you haven't applied for a job, it's a scam, and if you are ever asked upfront for money, it is a scam.

5. HIJACKED PROFILE SCAM: You get a message from somebody on your friend or contact list usually asking for money to get them out of a situation. This person's profile has been hacked. HOW TO AVOID: This is a scam if you haven't spoken to the person in a very long time, especially if are suddenly asking for money.

6. HIDDEN URL SCAM: You get a friend request from a hacker or are followed by one on twitter. All the updates and posts by this user will be URL links. If you click on these links, you can get a virus or install Spyware. HOW TO AVOID: Do not follow anybody or accept friend requests from anyone you do not know or only has URL links as their updates.

7. PAYPAL OR ONLINE CREDIT CARD/BANKING SCAM: Warning that your account is in danger. The sender looks like it could be real. HOW TO AVOID: Signs this is a scam include a suspicious sender's email address, the sender does not address the email using your name, the link does not work or is not legitimate, and the email includes a threat such as: "your account will be deactivated"

8. SUSPICIOUS PHOTO SCAM: A link that enables a hacker to hijack your profile information and passwords is linked to a photo of you that was obtained from a friend's hijacked account. HOW TO AVOID: If any link looks suspicious, delete it and notify your friend that their account was hacked.

9. SICK BABY SCAM: Somebody that appears to be your friend (hacked friend's account) sends you a picture of a sick baby somewhere and asks for a donation. HOW TO AVOID: Donations are normally asked for by organizations, not individuals. You can run a Google search on the validity of this 'cause'. You can also call or text your friend to ask if it is real and tell them their profile has been hacked.

10. NIGERIAN CHECK SCAM: You receive an overseas email from somebody that sounds royal, who is usually from Nigeria. They promise lots of money to you for helping them get their money out of a foreign bank. HOW TO AVOID: Do not EVER provide your bank account details in an email. Do not respond to the sender anymore. Just ignore.

11. 10 COMMON EMAIL & INTERNET SCAMS

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