What is The U.S. Cybersecurity Unit Doing to Tackle Online Scams
With the advancement of innovation, social integration, and digitalization, internet-based scams have increased by an estimated 70 percent – if not more. Online frauds are a type of cybercrime that uses the internet to defraud innocent people and victims of their assets, money, and other sensitive and confidential information. There are several types of online fraud, including the following.
Latest News & Scam Alerts
The Latest 411 on Current Day Cell Phone Scam
Smishing: A Whole New Level of Scams & Frauds
Do not let anyone pressure you into making decisions about your money or investments and never commit to any investment on the spot.
If you want to keep yourself safe from falling victim to Online scams, then you’re definitely at the right place. We can give you the best practices in identifying red flags as well as help you in recovering your stolen money from scammers!
Table of Contents
Scams Involving Online Dating and Romance
At first glance, web-based dating, such as using dating websites or swiping via online dating apps, appears to be a lot of fun, but you’ll rapidly discover that finding a sincere, safe, and authentic match is really difficult. It’s possible that things are really not as they seem.
While online dating is widely regarded as one of the most effective ways to meet the right guy or girl for you, there are some people out there who take advantage of people, are dishonest with them, and attempt to abuse them by stealing their resources, money, and other confidential material in the hopes of causing harm.
Scams Involving Money or Cash
When the opportunity to make quick money presents itself, many people take advantage of it.
However, be aware that these fantastic open doors could actually be frauds that take your money rather than assisting you in making it. We seek comfort and convenience. When we used to have to buy groceries, we would go to the store, pick out what we wanted, and then pay for it. However, times have changed, and today we simply order what we want on Uber Eats or any other food/grocery delivery app, and our items are delivered right to our door.
Scams on Social Media
Over half of those who claimed to have been cheated by online frauds said they were defrauded through online social networking applications.
This claim was investigated by our team of research experts, and it is correct! Scammers will use various web-based social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others to promote bogus and counterfeit ideas under the guise of an opportunity in the hopes that people will invest in those so-called opportunities, and the scammers will then take their money and vanish.
They make connections with people in order to establish trust, and then they pitch their opportunities to them.
Payment Swindles
When someone steals another person’s financial information and uses it to make illegal transactions or purchases, this is known as a payment scam.
When the legitimate cardholder or owner of the installment data notices that their account is being used for trades or purchases that they did not authorize, they become concerned. If this is the scenario, you should be concerned!
Ways To Protect Yourself Against Such Scams
Consumers should only utilize trusted secured wireless networks to complete financial transactions, and they should be aware that any personal information supplied online can be used by criminals to commit online fraud.” Before you go online to browse or shop for products and services, do the following steps:
- Updating your P.C.sP.C.s and mobile devices is essential. The best protection against spyware, malware, and other internet risks are the latest security software, web browser, and operating system. Allow for automatic updates to get the latest bug fixes as soon as they’re released.
- Make sure your passwords are not hackable.
- Knowing the warning signals of popular fraud schemes might help you recognize internet fraud. Phishing or spoofing, data leaks, and malware are all examples of these tactics.
- Know who you’re dealing with, whether you’re a buyer or a seller. Do some investigation if you don’t know who you’re buying from or selling to online.
- Anti-virus and anti-spyware software should be updated. In most circumstances, anti-virus software can be set to update itself. Any tool that safeguards your personal information from viruses online is known as spyware protection. If your operating system does not come with built-in spyware protection, you can get it for free from the internet. However, be wary of advertisements on the internet claiming downloaded spyware protection, which could lead to your personal information being stolen. Installing software from a reputable source is recommended.
- Be wary of phishing scams. Phishing scams deceive users into giving confidential account or login information by sending them fake emails or visiting fake websites. Do not click on any hyperlinks, attachments, or pop-up windows from sites you are unfamiliar with. Phishing emails should be forwarded to the Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C.) at spam@uce.gov, as well as to the firm, bank, or organization impersonated in the email.
- Personal information should be kept private. Hackers can determine your passwords and answer security questions in password reset services using your social media profiles. Lock down your privacy settings and prevent sharing personal information such as birthdays, residences, and your mother’s maiden name. Requests to connect with people you don’t know should be avoided.
- Make sure your internet connection is secure. Always use a password to secure your home wireless network. When using public Wi-Fi networks, be cautious about the information you transfer across the network.
- Shop with caution. Confirm to see if the website uses secure technologies before you order online. Verify sure the web address begins with HTTPS when you go to the checkout screen. Also, see if the page has a tiny locked padlock sign on it.
- Read the privacy policies of the website. Privacy policies, despite their length and complexity, explain how the site secures the personal information it collects. Consider conducting business somewhere else if you can’t see or comprehend a site’s privacy policy.
DO YOU SUSPECT THAT SOMEONE HAD SCAMMED YOU?
If you have suspicions of a scam or phishing attack, you can rely on experts to help you with protection, mitigation, and fund recovery.
You will feel safe knowing that experts with years of experience will be guiding you!
What Should You Do if You Have Been Scammed?
You can lodge a scam complaint with the federal authorities if you are a victim of a scam. Your report could help others avoid falling victim to a scam.
Scam reports are used by government authorities to track scam patterns. Based on the reports, they may potentially initiate legal action against a corporation or industry. However, agencies do not follow up after you file a report, and you will not be able to recover any lost funds. That is why you need to get in touch with E.Z. chargeback to have them on your side to be able to recover the funds.
Internet Crime Complaint Center
The Internet Crime Complaint Center can help you report phony websites, emails, malware, and other internet frauds (IC3). Some online scams begin in countries other than the United States.
If you’ve been a victim of international fraud, go to econsumer.gov to report it. Your report aids international consumer protection organizations in detecting trends and avoiding scams.
Federal Trade Commission
Scam reports are primarily retained by the Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C.). Report the scam to the (F.T.C.) online or via phone at 1-877-382-4357, from 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM ET. The Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C.) accepts complaints regarding most scams.
Econsumer.gov
You can report overseas scams and learn about additional ways to protect yourself from fraud at econsumer.gov. Your complaints assist consumer protection organizations all across the world in identifying trends and cooperating to combat transnational scams.
econsumer.gov now includes consumer protection agencies from more than 40 nations. In April of 2001, econsumer.gov was established to collect and communicate cross-border e-commerce complaints in order to address the difficulties of online fraud and boost consumer confidence.
There are two parts to the project:
- A public website where consumers can file complaints about cross-border fraud. It’s available in English, French, German, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish for the time being.
- The econsumer.gov website is a secure platform that allows law enforcement agencies all around the globe to share and access consumer complaint information and other investigation material. The Consumer Sentinel Network platform of the United States Federal Trade Commission hosts the secure website.
Department of Justice
The Department of Justice’s goals are to uphold the law and defend the United States’ interests in accordance with the law; to ensure public safety against foreign and domestic threats; to provide federal leadership in reducing preventable crime; to seek just punishment for those who commit crimes, and to make sure that all citizens obtain a fair and impartial administration of justice.
Which Agencies Are Responsible For Your Protection?
By probing a wide range of cyber crimes, from theft and fraud to child exploitation and apprehending and prosecuting those guilty, law enforcement plays a critical role in attaining our nation’s cybersecurity goals.
The Department of Homeland Security (D.H.S.) collaborates with other federal agencies to conduct high-impact criminal investigations in order to disrupt and defeat cyber criminals, prioritize technical expert recruitment and training, develop standardized methods, and widely share cyber response best practices and tools. Criminal detectives and network security specialists with a solid understanding of the technology used by bad actors and the specific vulnerabilities they target interact to efficiently respond to and analyze cyber disasters.
If you have been scammed by an online scam then contact us to help you get your money back!
U.S Secret Service
Electronic Crimes Task Forces are maintained by the U.S. The Secret Service is tasked with identifying and locating international cyber criminals involved in cyber intrusions, bank fraud, data breaches, and other computer-related crimes.
The Secret Service’s Cyber Intelligence Section assisted in the arrest of transnational cyber criminals who were liable for the theft of hundreds of millions of credit card numbers and the loss of nearly $600 million to banking and retail establishments. The National Computer Forensic Institute, which provides cyber training and information to law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and judges, is also managed by the Secret Service.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The Homeland Security Investigations (H.S.I.) Cyber Crimes Center (C3) of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) provides computer-based technical services to support domestic and international investigations into cross-border crime.
The Cyber Crimes Unit, Child Exploitation Investigations Unit, and Computer Forensics Unit make up C3. This cutting-edge facility provides federal, state, municipal, and international law enforcement authorities with cybercrime support and training. C3 also has a fully equipped computer forensics lab that specializes in the recovery of digital evidence and provides training in computer investigative and forensic abilities.
Law Enforcement Cyber Incident Reporting resource.
State, local, tribal, and territorial (S.L.T.T.) Law enforcement can use the Law Enforcement Cyber Event Reporting resource to learn when and how to report a cyber incident to a federal institution. The brochure also includes information on federally funded training programs as well as other valuable resources for S.L.T.T. officers.
The world has never been more intertwined than it is now. Increased connectedness, despite its benefits, raises the risk of theft, fraud, and misuse.
Cyberattacks such as workplace security breaches, spear phishing, and social media scam are becoming more common as Americans become more reliant on contemporary technology. Protecting and securing cyberspace requires complementary cybersecurity and law enforcement capabilities.
Key Takeaways!
You might choose to report the scam to non-government organizations. Third parties may be able to help you get your money back or have fraudulent charges removed from your account.
Firms like Ez chargeback is one firm that you can trust when it comes to recovering your funds lost to a scam. The agencies mentioned above in the article will help you report the scam; however, the one firm that will help you bring back the lost funds in your account will be E.Z Chargeback.
Inform the company’s fraud department about a scam using an online merchant or a payment transfer method and they will help you find the perfect recovery firm to work with! If you paid a scammer with your credit card or bank account, notify the card provider or bank. Scams should also be reported to the three major credit bureaus. Place a fraud alert on your credit record to prevent someone from opening credit accounts in your name.
do you need help?
A lot of those who contact us have questions and concerns about their personal and business data being compromised. We aim to arm you with the legal and technical know-how in the fight against scams. Also, we will be able to refer you to top scam recovery agencies.
Please fill up the form. Rest assured that our support team will get in touch with you
