How to cheat for money on the Internet: 5 popular tricks

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker tells what to do in order not to become a victim of cyber fraudsters.

How to keep your money safe from criminals

According to the Hackers, in 2017 they stole from the Russians almost a billion rubles of the Central Bank; in 2017, 961 million rubles were stolen from the accounts of Russians. The average transaction amount for which the cardholder did not give his consent was 3,000 rubles. It seems to be not so much, but it is still unpleasant, given that often theft could be easily avoided.

It is often a matter of simple carelessness. Technological progress has given us smart devices that make life easier, but alas, not safer. Having hacked one of the gadgets connected to your home network, attackers can, if desired, obtain all your personal information. Personal data, logins, passwords - you yourself will not notice how information about your life on the Internet will float away to scammers.

To learn how to reliably protect yourself from the encroachments of cybercriminals, come to the lecture “How your kettle gets robbed: the basics of financial security in the modern world” from the “Financial Environment” cycle. Speaker - Artyom Sychev, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate for Security and Information Protection of the Bank of Russia. He will tell you how cybercriminals manipulate the minds of victims, how your activity on social networks can play into the hands of scammers and what to do if they are trying to rob you or have already been robbed.

The lecture will take place on May 16 at 19:00 at the N. A. Nekrasov Central Library (Moscow, Baumanskaya Street, 58/25, p. 14). All lectures in the "Financial Environment" cycle are free, but you need to register in advance so that you definitely have enough space.

Tricks to be aware of

And yet, the Internet of Things is often not as dangerous as the most commonplace and familiar to many schemes for divorce for money. Everything seems to be elementary, these tricks are heard, but people still fall for them.

1. Offer a profitable job

If you come across an ad that promises good money for dusty work from home, do not rush to rejoice. Often times, such stories turn out to be trivial scams.

You are asked to transfer a certain amount, for example, to pay for textbooks and to prove that you are serious about your intentions. They ask for money not so big, especially in comparison with the future salary. Why not, you think. That's all. You can write to the failed employer as much as you want, you will hardly wait for an answer. Nobody will return your money either.

What to do

Don't trust sweet promises. Look for reviews about working in the company - there are probably stories of deceived people who got a donut hole instead of money. Finally, think hard: why do you even need to pay for a job that you haven’t taken on yet?

2. Letter from a "bank employee"

The content of such letters is usually quite menacing. For example, you may be told that a loan has been taken in your name, the payments for which are overdue. Pay, and quicker.

The letter may be accompanied by a link to the bank's personal account (of course, a fake one) or a file supposedly with details. Download, open - surprise: it's a virus.

What to do

Do not provide anyone with your card details and do not follow dubious links. If a person posing as a bank employee asks for the card number, expiration date and CVV code, he is probably a fraudster. Call the bank's direct line and find out if the representatives of the financial institution really sent you a letter.

3. Asking "friends" for help

You receive a fiery message from a friend on the social network: help me out, comrade, you urgently need money, here's your card number, and I'll return the debt as soon as possible. How not to help an old friend?

Transfer the required amount, and then a surprise: it turns out that your real friend did not ask you for any money. His page was simply hacked and reaped a decent harvest, playing on the feelings of gullible acquaintances.

What to do

Make sure that this is really your friend. Call him, write an SMS, in general, contact in any way, except for a message on the social network. And just in case, change the password for your account, especially if you use the same everywhere. You never know, suddenly then you will have to make excuses to everyone who sent money to a swindler who introduced himself as your name.

4. Deceptive sellers

The scheme is extremely simple. You have found an advertisement for the sale of a thing that you really need. Only the seller asks for an advance payment: you never know, suddenly you cheat him, you will receive the goods, but you will not transfer the money.

In fact, they are deceiving you. Send the required amount to the seller, he writes, they say, he sent the parcel, wait. You wait, wait and wait again. As you might guess, the purchase will not come to you, because no one thought to send it.

What to do

Don't buy anything from questionable online stores. Before sending money, please try to find information about the seller. Perhaps someone has already fallen for him and shared his indignation on the Web. And, of course, insist on payment upon receipt of the parcel.

5. Doubtful sites

For example, the same online store. You buy something there, enter your card details, and then you receive a notification that an amount exceeding the purchase price has been debited from your account. And it's good if such a notification comes only once.

What to do

Carefully watch where and what data you enter. In cases where you still fall for the bait of scammers, immediately call the bank and block the card.

Vigilance is the best defense against fraudsters, but other qualities are needed to effectively manage your personal budget. On the website "Financial Culture" you will find good advice on how to make friends with money and manage it wisely.

You can learn more about the methods of cybercriminals at the lecture “How Your Teapot Will Rob You: Fundamentals of Financial Security in the Modern World”. Sign up yourself and tell your friends about the lecture: this information is never superfluous.