Scammers have been notorious for taking advantage of current events and news. Unfortunately, the pandemic has been followed by a troubled economy, supply chain issues, and now a feared recession. This environment has allowed fraudsters to prey on people’s emotions and find victims more easily.
So, what were the most popular scams around the area in 2022?
At the number one position for the third year in a row is the menacing problem of online purchase scams. The pandemic is a huge factor in the escalation of these scams to the top, where it has remained, as shopping on websites is still a convenient and common way to purchase.
Phishing scams continued to be the number two scam reported locally for the second year in a row. These scams not only flood consumers’ e-mail inboxes, they also are a dangerous weapon that Cyber Criminals use to infiltrate businesses.
At number three is counterfeit products, which moved up from the number four position last year. Many fake websites are popping up, especially on social media, and consumers report paying for items they never receive, or cheap knock-off merchandise is delivered.
Employment scams remain high on the list at number four. Experts are predicting, with remote working and more layoffs in the news, this scam could be even more significant in 2023.
A new entry to this year’s top 10 list landing at number five is advance fee loan scams. The scam has been on the list in the past and is most likely returning due to inflation and a tough economy. More people are looking for loans and find solicitations in their email, text, and pop-up ads with enticing offers, which often lead to scams.
It should be noted that there is catch-all category called “other,” which contains a garden variety of scams. Many hot topics in this category include a wide range of issues, from romance and pet/puppy scams to airline issues, concert tickets, legal services, maintenance issues, and social media marketplace issues.
Source: http://www.msn.com Photo credit: cyberintro.net
