Taking advantage of emotions to commit fraud and financial investments - recognize and prevent
According to a report from the Department of Information Security, fraud by taking advantage of emotions to appropriate property is one of the 24 most common forms of fraud as of the first half of 2023. So how to recognize and avoid this scam? Let's […] from Taking advantage of emotions to commit fraud and financial investments - recognize and prevent
by
Editor
schedule26/07/2023
According to a report from the Department of Information Security, fraud by taking advantage of emotions to appropriate property is one of them 24 most common forms of fraud as of the first half of 2023. So how to recognize and avoid this scam? Let's Anti-Phishing (CLĐ) learn more through the article below.
"Taking advantage of emotions to appropriate property” is no longer a new form of crime. The amount of money appropriated can range from several million to several billion dong.
Currently, the need to make friends and get to know dating partners through social networks is increasing, and dating applications are gradually becoming popular. Taking advantage of the gullibility of people in "emotional relationships", users of dating applications become "ideal targets" for scammers who want to take advantage of emotions to appropriate property.
In April 2022, Vinh Phuc Provincial Police arrested and prosecuted a subject for fraudulent appropriation of property. This subject took advantage of emotions online, appropriating more than 1 billion VND from the victim. As noted by Scam.vn, with nearly 400 reports, more than 31 billion VND has been appropriated through dating applications
The Anti-Fraud team also regularly receives reports from victims who were robbed of hundreds of millions of dong just because of "fooling around" about romantic relationships.
II. Identifying characteristics and forms of fraud
Fraudsters often lure victims into their trap step by step as follows:
Identify and approach victims:
Find and reach your target people through online channels such as social networks, dating sites or forums.
The scammer creates a fake profile, uses someone else's stolen image with a beautiful and attractive appearance, and then uses phishing tactics to attract the victim's interest.
To build a relationship:
The scammer creates a fake emotional relationship with the victim by using tricks such as flirting, sharing touching stories or making promises.
After establishing a close relationship and understanding the victim's psychology and financial situation, scammers begin to take advantage of them to gradually control the victim in one of the following ways:
Luring the victim to send sensitive video images.
Convince victims to invest in the Forex financial market through a fake exchange that the fraudster controls.
Send valuable parcels and force them to pay taxes by depositing money into the fraudster's account. The scammer may threaten or defraud the victim if they do not comply with the request.
Once they have control over the victim, the scammer will proceed to the final step:
Blackmail:
Scammers use sensitive images and videos to blackmail victims or force victims to comply with other requests.
Appropriation of property:
When participating in Forex financial investment, the victim will be lured to win several times to create trust and greed
After winning a larger amount of money, the victim will not be able to withdraw it, the scammer will force the victim to pay transaction fees, pay taxes or say that the account information is wrong, and must pay money to verify authentication... .
Continue like that until the victim runs out of money and goes bankrupt.
III. Measures to prevent becoming a victim
To avoid becoming a victim of emotional traps and severely affecting your health, spirit, finances and life, you should consider some of the following notes:
Should slow down:
Stay vigilant and don't be too quick to trust someone you just met through social media or other online platforms.
Romance scams often begin by building a quick emotional relationship to please and deceive the victim.
Identity verification:
When meeting someone new on social media or online platforms, verify their identity by getting to know them, asking for their address information, contact phone number, or even meeting them in person if possible. maybe.
Don't share personal information too quickly.
Be careful with financial requirements:
Be wary of requests to deposit money, invest in Forex or engage in unknown financial transactions.
Fraudsters often use tricks promising high profits or attractive investment opportunities to appropriate victims' assets.
Check information before receiving parcels:
Before accepting a parcel from someone you don't know, check and verify the address, name and other details.
Be wary of winning calls:
If you receive a call informing you that you have won a large prize, be careful and verify the information from a trusted source.
Scammers often use prize calls to trick victims into providing sensitive personal information or transferring money to claim the prize.
Always remember that no one wins without participating or there is no way to win without paying a fee.
Be careful when sharing sensitive images and videos:
Avoid sharing sensitive images or videos of yourself with people you don't know or trust.
Scammers may use these sensitive images and videos to blackmail or extort you later.
Always remember that your personal images and videos are private and should only be shared with people you truly trust.
Learn about forms of fraud:
Master knowledge of common forms of fraud and how to identify suspicious signs.
This helps you recognize when a situation could be a form of fraud and warn you promptly.
Always stay vigilant and don't trust too quickly:
Do not trust promises and commitments that are unclear or too attractive.
Fraudsters often use tricks to create trust and lure victims.
Always check and verify information before taking any financial action or submitting personal information.
Please stay calm and put personal safety first:
In case you are trapped in a scam and facing demands for extortion or property appropriation, stay calm and put personal safety first.
Never agree to transfer money, ship goods, or provide sensitive personal information.
Report the incident to the authorities and request their assistance.
Keep personal information private and secure:
Protect your personal information by not sharing too much information on social networks or online platforms.
In particular, be careful about giving your phone number, home address, bank account, or any other sensitive information to someone you don't trust or know.
Deepen your knowledge of financial investment:
If you are interested in financial investments such as Forex, ensure that you have sufficient knowledge and understanding of how the market works and the risks involved.
Research reputable companies and brokers and always seek advice from a financial professional before entering into any transaction.
Always be alert and trust your intuition:
If you feel like something is wrong or uncomfortable in a situation, trust your intuition.
Don't be fooled by promises or pressure from others.
Always ask yourself questions and consider carefully before taking any action.
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