When a friend was locked out of his Facebook account and forced to start anew, he was immediately bombarded with fraudulent messages. This scenario is not uncommon; often, right after we update our information or make changes online, we become targets for scam emails.
These scammers employ a myriad of tactics. One common ruse involves an email claiming that an American billionaire has died and you’re a potential heir, but they need USD 1,000 for identity verification. One might wonder who could possibly fall for such a scheme, but when these messages are blasted out to thousands, if not tens of thousands of recipients, the odds increase that someone might be deceived.
The advantage for scammers using email over telephone scams lies in scale. Reaching out to 10,000 people via phone is impractical, yet with email, it’s as simple as pressing a button.
Recalling a seminar we attended in the United States, where the speaker highlighted the appeal of online theft over physical bank robberies due to the significantly reduced risk. Committing a bank robbery in the U.S. could be fatal, whereas hacking an online bank doesn’t carry the same immediate physical danger.
The unfortunate reality is that the low risk and ease of mass communication make online scams increasingly prevalent.
It’s a reminder for everyone to stay vigilant and protect themselves from falling victim to these deceitful tactics.
