Criminals are constantly trying to steal your money via different fake schemes. Watch out for the most recent scams shaking the digital roots of America.
Millions of people took to the radical approach of working from home as they offered the safest places amid Corona. However, millions of Americans could not foresee another threat spreading its roots through America's digital world: online scams.
In September 2020, Cyber-Forensics.net began receiving complaints from hundreds and thousands of individuals claiming they were targets of scams.
Cyber-Forensics.net, a world leader in cyber-forensics services for victims of online scams, tracked down top recent scams bewildering Americans and bilking them out of millions of dollars. Looking at the rising cases, the organization released urgent warnings against prevalent frauds that consumers must watch out for.
From romance scams to bogus IT professional impersonators, here are the recent scams baffling Americans:
#1 Romance Scams Targeting Seniors
News reports confirm that out of 23,053 fraud cases registered in 2020, 2,150 cases were related to romance scams targeting the elderly.
The FBI says that "In 2020, 28% of the 4.1 billion stolen from Americans through online scams came out of the pockets of seniors over the age of 60."
The figures suggest that American seniors lost around $84 million in 2019, $1 billion in 2020.
The trend is accelerating and even acute in places like Dallas (Texas). To raise awareness about the elderly scam, The FBI in Dallas teamed up with U.S. Attorney's Offices in the Eastern and Northern Districts. They created a series of public announcements to help Texans "spot and stop scams affecting the seniors."
The FBI's report was based on the number of complaints filed with the bureau's Internet Crime Center. Police indicated that "scammers often cited COVID-19 as the reason for needing money." They accepted money through bank transfers, direct payments, bitcoin, cryptocurrency, etc.
#2 Bogus Tech Support Scams
One of the most prevalent ways scammers confuse device users is by posing as IT professionals. And not understanding the mechanics behind scams can drive individuals into serious debts.
Bloomberg law news recently brought to light a case making headlines. A Washington-based company operating as Technologies LLC and its associate company was accused of using an e-commerce giant's trademarks to "perpetuate a widespread tech support fraud."
Details of the investigation revealed that the companies netted millions. However, when the case was taken to the court, the judges ruled the case in favor of the e-commerce firm.
Cyber-Forensics.net experts inform that scammers use a combination of online shopping websites, social media to track user requirements. The fraudsters offer technical support offering to resolve your device issue. Instead, they send a link to a compromised email or bank account. The typical pattern includes encouraging users to click the links and corrupting your PC files.
#3 Phishing Scams targeting motorists
Fraudsters assume many roles to hide their real identity. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency informed about an ongoing phishing scam running their consumers. The scammers claimed to be official tax payment reminders and even built fake websites directing consumers to the link to pay the chargeable fee.
According to Timothy Benson, a senior analyst from Cyber-Forensics.net; “the motoring body reported a 20% increase in scams through email, social media, text, or web.”
The authority requested motorists through their Twitter account to 'watch out for phishing' text or email messages promising to restore clean driving licenses.
Tony Rich, a spokesperson, said: "Some scams can be quite sophisticated and difficult to detect."
The organization released real examples of scams to help motorists identify such fraudsters.
#4 Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency Scams
The most number of complaints received by Cyber-Forensics.net in 2020 was related to bitcoin/crypto scams. The numbers skyrocketed from March to October 2021, reporting a loss of more than $80 million. This figure reflects a 12 times increase compared to the loss reported a year ago.
An article indicated that the global crypto market is now valued at $2.84 trillion. However, the flip side is; among individuals showing a growing interest in the bitcoin market, there is a populace of scammers running parallel frauds.
An official from the FBI warned investors saying; "Criminals direct victims to insert their money into a crypto ATM, purchase cryptocurrency, and use the provided QR code to auto-populate the recipient address."
Fortunately, there are clear steps that consumers can take to protect themselves, with the most critical being; stay alert of the recent scams. Never send money, gift cards, or anything valuable to someone you've never met in person.
Most importantly, reach out to fund recovery specialists like Cyber-Forensics.net. Get counseling whenever in doubt. Talk to your family, friends, and community members to help spread the word against such scams.
Cyber-Forensics.net successfully partners with fund tracing companies, lawyers, and technology solution providers and brings expertise from legal practitioners researching cyber-criminals worldwide. The organization brings clear, concise consultation to suggest the best solutions in the fund recovery process.
About Cyber-Forensics.net
Cyber-Forensics.net is committed to providing the most accurate tracing service for victims of online scams. Cyber-Forensics.net empowers and simplifies the process of tracking down the cyber-criminals and assists in recovering the funds and creating an atmosphere for a negotiated settlement. For more information, please visit http://cyber-forensics.net/.