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| (credit to ACCC) |
I recently got this Little Black Book of Scams from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It's actually free and you can order a hard copy or download the PDF file from their website.
http://www.accc.gov.au/publications/the-little-black-book-of-scams
I chanced upon this free book from Free Samples Australia by Mail Only site. It's a good site where the blogger compiles all the free samples or competitions daily in her site. So far, this is the first "free" stuff I got that was referred by this site. I was actually surprised that I got it quickly.
This is actually pretty handy and very useful for everyone. It's not a thick book and it has pictures and explained in simple terms to make it more readable and engaging to even those who hate reading! I suggest you request for a book to be sent out to you or better yet just have a read and make sure you keep the tips in mind.
So what can you learn from the Little Black Book of Scams?
- The Scammers’ Black List—top 10 scams to avoid
- Scam delivery methods
- The scammers’ tool box
- Beware the personal touch
- The Golden Rules–top 10 tips to protect yourself
- Report a scam and more information
I don't want to spoil your read so I'm just going to put just a little bit of excerpts from the book to give you a brief idea and to give you a little bit of tips and pointers to avoid being scammed! Remember, scammers are out there and everyone is a potential victim so the more educated you are on how to avoid being victimized the better!
The Scammers’ Black List
—top 10 scams to avoid
Advance fee fraud
If you are asked to provide payments in advance to receive goods or money, think twice.
Protect yourself
• Avoid arrangements with strangers requesting upfront payment via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer. It’s rare to recover money sent this way.
• Conduct a search online using the exact wording of the offer to check if it is legit—many scams can be identified this way.
• Don’t open suspicious or unsolicited emails—just delete them.
Don’t be lured by a surprise win—only the scammer takes home a windfall.
Protect yourself
• Remember: you cannot win money in a lottery or competition unless you entered, or someone else did so on your behalf. Tickets in genuine overseas lotteries can only be bought in that country.
• A legitimate lottery does not require you to pay a fee to collect winnings—conduct a search online using the exact wording of the offer to check if it is legit.
• Think twice before calling or text messaging a phone number starting with ‘19’—they are charged at premium rates.
Don’t let love byte you online.
Protect yourself
• Never send money or give your personal details to someone you met online even if they tell a convincing tale of woe and ask for your support.
• Avoid any arrangement with a stranger who asks for upfront payment via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer —it’s rare to recover money sent this way.
• Watch out if an online admirer asks to communicate outside the dating website after only a few ‘contacts’ or conversations—it could be a scammer.
If your computer’s security is compromised, you are too.
Protect yourself
• Always keep your computer security up-to-date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall—only buy software from a reputable source.
• Be cautious if you receive an email or phone call out of the blue claiming to be from a well-known company—use their official contact details to check the call or email is legit.
• Never click on links or open attachments in an email from an unverified sender.
Online shopping, classifieds and auction scams
Scammers love the ease of online shopping too.
Protect yourself
• Before you shop online, do some research to check if the seller is reputable and what protection the website offers against fraud.
• Only pay via the website’s secure payment method—look for a web address starting with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol.
• Never accept a cheque or money order for payment that is more than what you agreed upon.
Keep your financial details secure and your money safe.
Protect yourself
• If you receive an unexpected email, call or SMS from your bank or financial institution, don’t provide your personal or financial details. Check the contact is legit—contact the organisation using their official customer service details.
• When you are banking online, check that the web address is correct and the site is not a fake. Make sure the site is secure—look for a web address beginning with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol.
• If you think that your banking or financial details have been compromised, contact your financial institution immediately
Scammers take advantage of the busy nature of many small businesses to swindle them.
Protect yourself
• Don’t agree to offers or deals straight away—always ask for an offer in writing and seek independent advice if the deal involves money, time or a long-term commitment.
• Never provide your business’ banking, financial and accounting details to someone that contacts you unexpectedly and that you don’t know and trust.
• Effective management procedures can go a long way towards preventing scams—have a clearly defined process for verifying and paying accounts and invoices.
Big income—guaranteed? Unlikely!
Protect yourself
• Beware of offers or schemes claiming to guarantee income or requiring payment upfront. Never agree to an offer over the phone—ask for it in writing.
• Do your research before agreeing to any offer—ask around, search online and check if the company is licensed using ASIC’s Australian Financial Services licensee register.
• Remember: there are no shortcuts to wealth—the only people that make money are the scammers
‘Risk-free investment’ opportunity or opportunity for misfortune?
Protect yourself
• Do your research before signing up to an investment or money-making offer that promises amazing returns—ask around, search online and check if the company is licensed using ASIC’s Australian Financial Services licensee register.
• Ask yourself: If a stranger knew a secret to making money, why would they share it?
• Remember: there are no get-rich-quick schemes—the only people who make money are the scammers.
Charitable and health conscious consumers beware—scammers will try anything to get your money.
Protect yourself
• If you have been approached to make a donation, first contact the charity directly and check their government registration.
• Consult your healthcare professional if you are considering a ‘miracle’ or ‘instant-fix’ claim about medicines, supplements or other treatments.
• Ask yourself: if this really is a miracle cure, wouldn’t your healthcare professional have told you about it?
The Golden Rules
–top 10 tips to protect yourself
Follow the 10 Golden Rules to protect yourself from scams.
1. Watch out for scams—scammers target you anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
2. Don’t respond—ignore suspicious emails, letters, house visits, phones calls or SMS messages—press ‘delete’, throw them out, shut the door or just hang up.
3. Don’t agree to an offer straight away—do your research and seek independent advice if it involves significant money, time or commitment, and get the offer in writing.
4. Ask yourself who you’re really dealing with—scammers pose as people or organisations that you know and trust.
5. Don’t let scammers push your buttons—scammers will play on your emotions to get what they want, including adopting a personal touch.
6. Keep your computer secure—always update your firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and only buy from a verified source.
7. Only pay online using a secure payment service—look for a URL starting with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol.
8. Never send money to someone you don’t know and trust—it’s rare to recover money from a scammer.
9. Protect your identity—your personal details are private and invaluable; keep them that way and away from scammers.
10. If you’ve spotted a scam, spread the word!—tell your family and friends, and report it to SCAMwatch—www.scamwatch.gov.au.
That's it for the day and I hope this has helped you became wiser in dealing with day to day scams!
Remember, go with your instincts! If it doesn't feel right don't do it!
Has this helped you in some way?
Have you been scammed and wish you have listened to your inner self?
I'd love to hear from you. :)
xoxo Mia
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