A scammer is someone who commits or participates in fraudulent practice, to use another person’s name and personal information to obtain credit cards, loans, and access to the victim’s bank account; this is known as identity theft.
With advances in technology scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated and people are also (without sometimes knowing it) sharing much more personal information on the internet than they would have 10 years ago. This can give scammers pieces of the puzzle to steal someone’s identity.
What do scammers do with your information:
- Take money (sometimes all) from your bank account
- Open new bank accounts, apply for credit cards and/or loans
- Purchase goods and services using your name
- Apply for subscriptions and contracts in your name; like mobile phone contracts.
- Access your social media accounts to scam your friends and family
And these are just a few examples of what they can do.
Main types of identity theft
Phishing – When scammers are phishing for personal details and are attempting to trick you into providing this information. Most commonly these come in forms of fake emails and text messages.
Fakers – These are people who make fake accounts (usually on social media or dating apps) to befriend people. Fakers will aim to build your trust and then soon ask for money.
Hackers – Use personal information that has been gathered from the internet to gain access to your network, computer, mobile etc. This can be both personal and corporate, so be careful what you share and where.
Remote access scams & software scams – This is when you are tricked into providing access to your computer, or tricked into installing software that will allow scammers to access your files. Scammers may also gain access to your PC and then lock you access, and demand money for it to be unlocked.
How to tell you are a victim of scammers
This probably happens more than you realise. Some mailboxes will be able to identify phishing and suspicious activity to your mailbox and put these into junk before it even enters your inbox. Installing a security software on your PC will help automatically block activity that can be threatening to you.
However even with all the protective barriers in place this doesn’t stop them getting through the net.
Hopefully you are able to prevent yourself from being a victim of identity theft - Question before you action
You can spot these attempts through email, text messages, phone calls, friend requests from people you do not know, someone asking you to validate your information, unexpected pop ups, call interceptions.
Look out for:
- Money going out from your account that you haven’t spent
- Keep an eye on your credit score
- Being refused for financial application/loan/credit card that you should be able eligible for
- Your accounts have been locked, such as financial accounts or social media. Also, if your account has the functionality, check last logged in times and locations
- Receiving bills or invoices for items you have not purchased
What to do if your identity has been compromised
Contact your bank, financial providers and other relevant agencies immediately. Do not use the details that may have been sent in messages to you – research these company’s contact details online and contact them directly or go in store if possible.