- Auction
Fraud
-
- Before you bid,
contact the seller with any questions you have.
- Review the seller's
feedback.
- Be cautious when
dealing with individuals outside of your own
country.
- Ensure you understand
refund, return, and warranty policies.
- Determine the shipping
charges before you buy.
- Be wary if the seller
only accepts wire transfers or cash.
- If an escrow service
is used, ensure it is legitimate.
- Consider insuring your
item.
- Be cautious of
unsolicited offers.
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- Counterfeit
Cashier's Check
-
- Inspect the
cashier's check.
- Ensure the amount
of the check matches in figures and words.
- Check to see that
the account number is not shiny in appearance.
- Be watchful that
the drawer's signature is not traced.
- Official checks are
generally perforated on at least one side.
- Inspect the check
for additions, deletions, or other alterations.
- Contact the
financial institution on which the check was
drawn to ensure legitimacy.
- Obtain the bank's
telephone number from a reliable source, not
from the check itself.
- Be cautious when
dealing with individuals outside of your own
country.
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- Credit Card
Fraud
-
- Ensure a site is
secure and reputable before providing your
credit card number online.
- Don't trust a site
just because it claims to be secure.
- If purchasing
merchandise, ensure it is from a reputable
source.
- Promptly reconcile
credit card statements to avoid unauthorized
charges.
- Do your research to
ensure legitimacy of the individual or company.
- Beware of providing
credit card information when requested through
unsolicited emails.
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- Debt
Elimination
-
-
Know who you are doing business with - do your
research.
-
Obtain the name, address, and telephone number
of the individual or company.
-
Research the individual or company to ensure
they are authentic.
-
Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine
the legitimacy of the company.
-
Be
cautious when dealing with individuals outside
of your own country.
-
Ensure you understand all terms and conditions
of any agreement.
-
Be
wary of businesses that operate from P.O. boxes
or maildrops.
-
Ask for names of other customers of the
individual or company and contact them.
-
If
it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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- DHL/UPS
-
-
Beware of individuals using the DHL or UPS logo
in any email communication.
-
Be suspicious when payment is requested by money
transfer before the goods will be delivered.
-
Remember that DHL and UPS do not generally get
involved in directly collecting payment from
customers.
-
Fees associated with DHL or UPS transactions are
only for shipping costs and never for other
costs associated with online transactions.
-
Contact DHL or UPS to confirm the authenticity
of email communications received.
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-
Employment/Business Opportunities
-
-
Be
wary of inflated claims of product
effectiveness.
-
Be
cautious of exaggerated claims of possible
earnings or profits.
-
Beware when money is required up front for
instructions or products.
-
Be
leery when the job posting claims "no experience
necessary".
-
Do
not give your social security number when first
interacting with your prospective employer.
-
Be
cautious when dealing with individuals outside
of your own country.
-
Be
wary when replying to unsolicited emails for
work-at-home employment.
-
Research the company to ensure they are
authentic.
-
Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine
the legitimacy of the company.
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- Escrow
Services Fraud
-
-
Always type in the website address yourself
rather than clicking on a link provided.
-
A
legitimate website will be unique and will not
duplicate the work of other companies.
-
Be
cautious when a site requests payment to an
"agent", instead of a corporate entity.
-
Be
leery of escrow sites that only accept wire
transfers or e-currency.
-
Be
watchful of spelling errors, grammar problems,
or inconsistent information.
-
Beware of sites that have escrow fees that are
unreasonably low.
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- Identity
Theft
-
-
Ensure websites are secure prior to submitting
your credit card number.
-
Do
your homework to ensure the business or website
is legitimate.
-
Attempt to obtain a physical address, rather
than a P.O. box or maildrop.
-
Never throw away credit card or bank statements
in usable form.
-
Be
aware of missed bills which could indicate your
account has been taken over.
-
Be
cautious of scams requiring you to provide your
personal information.
-
Never give your credit card number over the
phone unless you make the call.
-
Monitor your credit statements monthly for any
fraudulent activity.
-
Report unauthorized transactions to your bank or
credit card company as soon as possible.
-
Review a copy of your credit report at least
once a year.
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- Internet
Extortion
-
-
Security needs to be multi-layered so that
numerous obstacles will be in the way of the
intruder.
-
Ensure security is installed at every possible
entry point.
-
Identify all machines connected to the Internet
and assess the defense that's engaged.
-
Identify whether your servers are utilizing any
ports that have been known to represent
insecurities.
-
Ensure you are utilizing the most up-to-date
patches for your software.
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- Investment
Fraud
-
-
If
the "opportunity" appears too good to be true,
it probably is.
-
Beware of promises to make fast profits.
-
Do
not invest in anything unless you understand the
deal.
-
Don't assume a company is legitimate based on
"appearance" of the website.
-
Be
leery when responding to investment offers
received through unsolicited email.
-
Be
wary of investments that offer high returns at
little or no risk.
-
Independently verify the terms of any investment
that you intend to make.
-
Research the parties involved and the nature of
the investment.
-
Be
cautious when dealing with individuals outside
of your own country.
-
Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine
the legitimacy of the company.
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- Lotteries
-
-
If
the lottery winnings appear too good to be true,
they probably are.
-
Be
cautious when dealing with individuals outside
of your own country.
-
Be
leery if you do not remember entering a lottery
or contest.
-
Be
cautious if you receive a telephone call stating
you are the winner in a lottery.
-
Beware of lotteries that charge a fee prior to
delivery of your prize.
-
Be
wary of demands to send additional money to be
eligible for future winnings.
-
It
is a violation of federal law to play a foreign
lottery via mail or phone.
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- Nigerian
Letter or "419"
-
-
If
the "opportunity" appears too good to be true,
it probably is.
-
Do
not reply to emails asking for personal banking
information.
-
Be
wary of individuals representing themselves as
foreign government officials.
-
Be
cautious when dealing with individuals outside
of your own country.
-
Beware when asked to assist in placing large
sums of money in overseas bank accounts.
-
Do
not believe the promise of large sums of money
for your cooperation.
-
Guard your account information carefully.
-
Be
cautious when additional fees are requested to
further the transaction.
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-
Phishing/Spoofing
-
-
Be suspicious of any unsolicited email
requesting personal information.
-
Avoid filling out forms in email messages
that ask for personal information.
-
Always compare the link in the email to the
link that you are actually directed to.
-
Log on to the official website, instead of
"linking" to it from an unsolicited email.
-
Contact the actual business that supposedly
sent the email to verify if the email is
genuine.
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- Ponzi/Pyramid
-
-
If the "opportunity" appears too good to be
true, it probably is.
-
Beware of promises to make fast profits.
-
Exercise diligence in selecting investments.
-
Be vigilant in researching with whom you
choose to invest.
-
Make sure you fully understand the investment
prior to investing.
-
Be wary when you are required to bring in
subsequent investors.
-
Independently verify the legitimacy of any
investment.
-
Beware of references given by the promoter.
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- Reshipping
-
-
Be
cautious if you are asked to ship packages to an
"overseas home office."
-
Be
cautious when dealing with individuals outside
of your own country.
-
Be
leery if the individual states that his country
will not allow direct business shipments from
the United States.
-
Be
wary if the "ship to" address is yours but the
name on the package is not.
-
Never provide your personal information to
strangers in a chatroom.
-
Don't accept packages that you didn't order.
-
If
you receive packages that you didn't order,
either refuse them upon delivery or contact the
company where the package is from.
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- Spam
-
-
Don't open spam. Delete it unread.
-
Never respond to spam as this will confirm to
the sender that it is a "live" email address.
-
Have a primary and secondary email address - one
for people you know and one for all other
purposes.
-
Avoid giving out your email address unless you
know how it will be used.
-
Never purchase anything advertised through an
unsolicited email.
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- Third
Party Receiver of Funds
-
-
Do not agree to accept and wire payments for
auctions that you did not post.
-
Be leery if the individual states that his
country makes receiving these type of funds
difficult.
-
Be cautious when the job posting claims "no
experience necessary".
-
Be cautious when dealing with individuals
outside of your own country.
Last Update:
Friday, January 11, 2008 10:18 PM
Double Edge Investigation
