Beware of SCAMS !!! - Part I

Beware of SCAMS !!! - Part I

How time flies.  Our lives are coasting from one phase to another, and we're all adjusting with the times.  So does these SCAMS.  Prior to the pandemic, it's all about phishing, identity theft and the like.  But when this pandemic blew up right in our faces, let's relook at the domino effect.  Because of pandemic, we are facing a new round of crisis and challenges and who can blame people because obviously, they got to face these challenges head on.  With thousands retrenched from their jobs, people need jobs.  People need $$$.  And parallel with the virus threat, what abounds are the ripple effects of pandemic.  With travel restrictions, people figure out how to travel.  And now, what's our flavor of the month ?  It's vaccines vaccines vaccines.

Let's not discuss anything technical.  Let's go back to basics, the mother of all scams start off with a phone call.  In the developed countries [even in Singapore], incoming calls are NOT free, so even way back 20 years ago when life in Singapore was much simpler, 99% of Singaporeans will not [NO WAY] accept an incoming call coming from a number not in his/her phonebook.  But in some Third World countries where the 

incoming call is toll-free, PRONTO, people will ACCEPT such calls.  And your guess is as good as mine, Step1 leads to Step2 till Step99. But again, we need to be forewarned that for such calls, there is a 95% chance that such caller is a fraudster, a scammer.  You might shrug off this warning by blurting that you got nothing to lose when you ACCEPT such call.  REALLY?  SURELY?    And here are the 'trapping moves' that may trap you into that fraud call:

• Caller PRETENDS the call is from an organization you know.  That could be a bank [where your payroll is credited], that could be Social Security [SSS], Health Services [PhilHealth], etc.  BTW, it could be from Netflix [because many of us did subscribe to it since this pandemic struck us].
• Caller CONCOCTS a story that you got payables now overdue and he's representing the lawyer of the collection agency.  OR, the caller can frighten you that a family member is in an emergency and he/she's in the ER etc

• Caller COERCES you.  Imagine if you are a contract worker in Dubai and the caller warns that you will be deported due to THIS and THAT.  Will you remain cool and relaxed when coerced that way ?
• Caller is aware that many companies [even your company] are hosting company events virtually and prizes and giveaways are given away.  So here comes this caller telling you that you received this much GIFTAWAY credits now about to be credited to you but there is a service fee you need to settle first.

Now, for the 'flavors of the month', this pandemic caused thousands to be jobless.  So here you are, desperately accessing JOB SITES left and right.  Challenge is, how do you sift the valid versus the fraud sites ?

Now, with this pandemic, 'ADD to CART' is happening everywhere.  You need to be sharp to detect which is a valid site vs a fraud site.

Now, here comes TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.  And as you are so desperate to travel back to your province, the friend of a friend of another friends gives you a number to call to help you in the TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.  What could happen next ?

Oh, I love this scam.  In most Third World countries, almost every family has a family member working in Dubai or elsewhere.  And here comes this text message advising you of an INCOMING DELIVERY.  Here's the catch:  you got to settle the miscellaneous charges so they can deliver that package over to you.  Whew !  This is a real fishing ground !  Oh c'mon, this is getting interesting, isn't it ?  So, allow me to park for now and come back in my Part II piece.  Folks, TO BE FOREWARNED is to be FOREARMED.❗❗❗