Scams target people of all backgrounds, ages and income levels all over the world. There is no one group of people who are more likely to become a victim of a scam. If you think you are "too clever" to fall for a scam, you may take risks that scammer can take advantage of you.
A scam looks like the real thing or a real opportunity. It appears to meet your need or desire. To find out that it is in fact a scam, you must first make the effort to check it properly. Take your time, ask questions and think carefully before you decide what to do.
Scammer are trying to manipulate you by "pushing your buttons" to produce the automatic response they want.
- It’s nothing to do with you personally.
- It’s to do with the way individuals in society are wired up emotionally and socially.
- It’s because the response is automatic that people fall for the scam.
To stop scammers manipulating you into their traps, it can be useful to know how to prevent the automatic response they expect.
One of the believes is that all companies, businesses and organizations are legitimate and okay because they are all vetted and approved by the government or some other authority. That is not like this. Consumer protection organizations have very much work with the companies and their unhappy customers, because dodgy operators and scams are reported to them on a daily basis.
A similar dangerous myth is that internet websites are all legitimate because there are written words, or that it is difficult to set up a website.
It is quite easy and cheap to set up a professional-looking website. A scam website could be used to sell a dodgy product, or it could be easily made to resemble a genuine website, like a bank or credit union website. These websites are often only "live" for a few days. That is enough time to trick people into giving up their credit card details and/or other personal information.
Another belief, which makes people vulnerable to scams, is the idea that there are short cuts to wealth that only a few people know.
Ask yourself the questions:
- If you know a secret to instant wealth, would you spend your time for telling it to others?
- Would you be in need to charge money for the information?
If you find some offers on the social networks, then check first the product and don't look at the promised earnings, Follow the steps:
- Overview how you can identify a scammer and bad selling products without making a background check - only by reading their offers with an open mind.
- If the offer is still interesting then you should continue with making a background check to avoid getting scammed.
- If you have a communication with your business partner on Skype then verify his location with the information in his profile by locating him
- If you are still convinced about the offer, then check if you find something about the seller or the product at other fraud warning sites.
- Nothing found until now? Make your contract with the broker or the seller.
A list of proved scammer can get found in the menu entry Scammer Exposed.
Offers from trusted and validated brokers can get found in the menu entry Fair Campaign Offers.