How Does The Internet Aid Fraud?

How does the internet aid fraud? On an almost daily basis, you can read articles in the newspapers about someone having been defrauded on the internet. That’s because the internet is a hotbed of fraud and it allows almost anyone to get into the fraud game. In fact, back in the early days of the internet, "The New Yorker" ran a now famous cartoon with a dog standing in front of a computer. The caption read, "On the internet, no one knows you're a dog." This is the answer to the question--the internet allows anyone to pretend to be anyone they want to be.  Check out the scams below and you'll see exactly how this all plays out.

The Nigerian Banker Who Desperately Needs to Find a Relative This scam, which is still used regularly and still ropes in dozens of people a year, has been around for a long time. You’ll get an email from someone claiming to be a banker or lawyer representing a man (or woman, but usually a man) who died and left several million dollars in their bank account in Nigeria, Sao Paulo or whatever exotic location you care to consider. The money can be yours for the taking. All you need to do is respond and claim that you are the long lost relative of this poor deceased millionaire. The banker will deposit the money into your account and all he wants is a 20% commission. Give him your bank details and what will actually happen is that your account will be emptied overnight. No Nigerian fortune, just a huge headache and loss.

The Auction Scam Online auctions are extremely popular. So much in fact that many people have been ensnared by scams targeting those who think they can get a great deal using an auction. The way it works is you bid on an auction, sometimes even at a legitimate site like eBay, and the seller asks you to pay with cash, a check or money order. You send your money, but the item never arrives. While some sites offer limited protection against fraud, the protection will not cover you if you pay with cash or checks.

Writing Scams In the face of difficult times, many people think they can make some money by writing on the internet. Writer beware. While there are plenty of legitimate places to write and make money on the internet, many places will tell you that they pay nothing for your writing, but allow you to have “publicity.” While this may seem perfectly legitimate, the reality is that most of these sites take material from almost anyone. Because of that, the only publicity you’ll get is that your writing is worthless. If you want to write for money, look for places with editorial standards who actually pay their writers. While it may not be much, if they pay for the writing, they are more likely to be legitimate.

Resources:

FBI: Internet Fraud

SFWA: Writer Beware