5 of the Biggest Scams You Need to Know About

Every day it seems there are new scams trying to separate hard working people from their money. Sadly, these scams are getting more and more sophisticated and as a result, easier and easier to fall for.

It is important for you to be aware of the biggest scams you need to know about.

By staying on top of what is happening, the less likely you are to fall for these scams and because of this, keep your hard earned money safe and sound.

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Let’s take a look at the 5 biggest scams you need to know about.

5 of the Biggest Scams You Need to Know About

#1. ‘Yes’ Calls

This is a relatively new scam out there. You get a phone call and the person on the other end asks you questions that will result in you saying yes.

It sounds harmless, but they are recording you saying yes. They then take your recorded voice and make other calls to banks and other institutions that require you to say yes to access your accounts.

By having your voice, they gain access to your accounts and can do as they please. If you get any calls from phone numbers you don’t recognize, be hesitant to answer any questions.

In fact, the best solution is to not even answer the phone from unknown numbers. If it is important, they will leave a message.

This is the strategy I use. I get calls from the same number every day at the roughly the same time. They never leave a message and after a week or so, the call stops.

#2. Fake Apps

This new scam is so new I hadn’t even heard of it until recently. Scammers are getting fake bank and financial institution apps into the app store on Apple and Android.

Unsuspecting users download the app thinking it is the real app and enter their username and passwords. The scammer then takes this information and logs into your real account and does as they please.

To protect yourself, be sure to look at the app before downloading it. The image of legitimate apps tends to be the company logo. The app should also have plenty of reviews and have the name of the bank in the developer section.

If you are still unsure, go to the financial institution’s website and look for the link to the app store there. This will ensure you are taken to the authentic app and not the fake one.

Once you confirm, you can download the real app and even report the fake app so that others don’t fall victim to it.

#3. Netflix Scam

Since Netflix has so many subscribers, this is easily one of the biggest scams you need to know about. With this scam, you are sent an email that looks like it came from Netflix telling you that your payment method on file has been declined.

They will have a link in the email for you to click on and update your payment method. But when you click on the link, you are taken to a spoof site and the scammer is recording your payment information.

Before you know it, they will go on a spending spree with your money.

If you get an email like this from Netflix or any company, never click on the link in the email. Instead open a new tab, type in the URL of the company and go to your account settings.

If there is an issue with your payment method, it will be listed there.

An additional tip that I use is to look at the sender’s email address. Most times the sender’s email address will be a series of letters and numbers and not a normal looking email address, clearly showing it is a scam.

#4. IRS Scams

The IRS scam isn’t new but is getting more and more prevalent. You get a phone call saying you are in trouble with the IRS and you need to provide personal information or credit card information, which they then use against you.

If you don’t agree to pay any fines they claim you owe, they will begin to bully you or even threaten to call the police. Don’t give in, as any true IRS contact would never threaten you.

In some cases, the scammer may email you too, trying to get you to comply. As with the first tip, if you don’t know the number calling you, simply don’t answer the phone. You will save yourself a lot of potential headaches.

#5. Kidnapping Scam

This is not only one of the biggest scams you need to be aware of, but also one of the scariest. You get a call from a supposed loved one telling you they have been kidnapped and you need to pay a ransom.

The scammer gets you to comply by telling you the location of where your loved one is actually visiting or has recently been. They get this information from social media postings.

It works because you don’t want to have a loved one harmed, and because the scammer gets you emotionally involved really fast.

To survive this scam, you need to stay calm. You also need to try to reach out to the loved one in question and confirm they are safe and not in harm.

Final Thoughts

There you have the 5 biggest scams you need to know about. Luckily, they are easy to prevent and not fall victim to. To keep yourself safe, try to not answer the phone from numbers you don’t recognize.

Additionally, be smart about emails you get and never click on links in emails. Even if you do business with the company, simply type in their URL and access your account that way.

Finally, always remain calm and think through things when anyone reaches out asking for personal information. While not all are scams, many are and it is getting tougher to tell the authentic ones from the scams.