What do Scams Look Like?

Here are some of the most common scams:

• Cyberhacking. In this scam, hackers gain remote access to your computer and proceed to help themselves to your personal information.
• Phishing scams. Scammers bait you into sharing personal information via a bogus job form, an application for a service they allegedly provide or by impersonating a well-known company or government agency.
• Mystery shopper. A bogus company will “hire” you to purchase a specific item in a store and then report back about the service experience. Before you get started, though, you’ll have to pay a hefty fee, which you’ll never see again.
• Job offers. Scammers “hire” you for a position and then scam you by sending you an inflated check, as detailed above.
• Sweetheart scams. A scammer pretending to be an online lover will con you into sharing your personal information and/or sending them money and gifts.
• Fraudulent investments. Scammers reach out to potential investors with information about lucrative investments that don’t exist.