What is a Lottery email scam?

A lottery email scam is an email that alerts you that you’ve just been chosen to win millions of dollars from an international lottery. A lottery email scam may fool the gullible, but email lottery scams certainly do not fool seasoned email users. What is a lottery email scam? In short, a lottery email scam is spam. All spammers want you to take action. Many want you to purchase something, but lottery email scams want to milk you for all you’re worth.

Don’t think there’s something special about you if you’ve been targeted by a lottery email scam. The geniuses behind the lottery email scam collect random email addresses and mass email thousands of email users. The lottery email scam artists hope that at least a handful will reply to their lottery email scam with interest and do exactly what they’re asked.

What do Email Lottery Scams want?

A lottery email scam is after your money. The guys behind the lottery email scam will stop at nothing to get the money of victims of the email lottery scams. Typically, the lottery email scam operators will pressure you into providing them with your bank account info and SS number. If provided with this information, the lottery email scam artists will drain funds from your bank account and may possibly steal your identity; stealing your identity is more profitable for the email lottery scams.

If you’ve received email lottery scams, simply disregard the messages or report the scam fraud emails to the FTC. Use common sense when discerning whether its part of the email lottery scams. As a rule of thumb, if you haven’t entered a lottery or sweepstakes, consider it to be an email lottery scam.

Types of Email Money Scams

There are two main types of email money scams. The first is the very common Nigerian email money scam and the second is a far more believable unclaimed funds email money scam. The Nigerian email money scam consists of an email claiming that a rich Nigerian person needs your help to smuggle money out of their country into the states. This email money scam promises to pay the email recipient millions upon millions of dollars in exchange for using their bank account. Of course, the Nigerian scammers who sent the email money scams will require the participants to fork over their bank account number, contact information and other sensitive information in addition to a few several thousand dollars for “transaction fees.”

The lesser known email money scam that has recently surfaced is the unclaimed funds email money scams. This email money scam claims that 9 out of 10 Americans have unclaimed money just sitting in the laps of the government. The operators of the email money scam will help you locate your lost funds (which you can do for free) for a fee and you may even need to send sensitive information to the operators of this email money scam as well.

Spotting an Email Money Scam

Spotting an email money scam can be done with some attention to detail. An email money scam will relay an extreme tone, such as an urgent tone in a Nigerian email money scam and an overly ecstatic tone in the unclaimed funds email money scam. Email money scams will typically be very lengthy and tend to regurgitate the same information throughout the email. Your best defense against an email money scam is to think logically! Will a rich Nigerian really contact a complete stranger and trust him with millions of dollars? No, it’s an email money scam. Will a respected agency really send you a promotional-sounding email telling you they want to give you money? No, these are all email money scams.

Scams and Computers

Ah, the free computer scams. The offer has been around for a few years now. But, rest assured, any website or email that offers you a free computer is running a scam for computers. Unfortunately, because of the tempting offer, many innocent folks waste tons of time, money and aggravation trying to unknowingly get in on the free computer scam. But, in reality, they’ll never receive their computers because it is indeed a scam computer.

Scammers have many ways of making victims try to win the free scam computer. But, the most popular way the scam computer is presented to victims is through surveys. Scammers promise that you’ll receive a free computer in exchange for filling in some surveys. But, what the free computer scam never tells you is that you must complete seemingly endless surveys which require you to spend a considerable amount of money from your pocket in order to “receive” the scam computer. Even if you do go through with all of the expensive surveys, you’ll never see your scam computer; they never meant to send you a complementary computer because they’re running a free computer scam.

Don’t be tempted by a scam computer!

Unlike many other online scams, free computer scams typically won’t try to send you a virus. They’ll just get you to complete surveys which make them a nice profit. If you’re looking to stay away from a scam computer but need a new computer and are low on cash, try financing. Don’t ever accept survey offers for a free computer scam or even an email for a free computer scam. There’s always a way around the scam computer and financing your own. Websites like HSN.com, QVC.com and ShopNBC.com and Rent-a-Center offer flexible financing offers.

Identifying a Bank Scam

Like Nigerian scams, a bank scam will tell you that one of your bank accounts has been compromised. But, think twice about replying because it may just be a bank fraud scam. A bank scam will range in believability; it all depends on the design, tech and writing abilities (or budget) of the person operating the bank scam. A bank scam is typically operated in two different forms: text and email. Below, are tips for recognizing a bank scam and tips on protecting yourself against the bank scam.

A bank scam will contain an urgent tone which details a possible hack of your bank account. But, in reality it is just a bank scam. How do you recognize bank fraud scam emails and text? Bank scam messages seem urgent and are way too detailed to be believable. Some bank scam emails may even go as far as providing the “supposed” IP address where the suspicious transactions originated. Bank scam emails and texts will prompt you to “click the link below” and login to your bank account. Alternatively, if you haven’t setup an online banking login, the bank scam email will encourage you to sign in with your social security number; that’s fishy in itself.

Protection against Bank Fraud Scams

Do not click links within the bank scam message! It will only take you to a website that is designed to look exactly like your real bank’s website! There, they’ll collect your bank login and password. The bank scam will then progress by quickly using the information to login to your real bank account and emptying your funds! If you suspect it is a bank fraud scam, give your bank a direct call to make it isn’t a bank scam. To report a bank fraud scam, contact the FTC. The FTC accepts both emails and phone calls when reporting bank fraud scams.

Internet scams in Nigeria are taking over the email spam world. Internet scams from Nigeria are completely bypassing the “buy me” part of spam that we all love and just skipping to the “give me all your money, or else…” tactic. Clearly, internet scams from Nigeria are dirty business. But, Snopes reports that in 1997, over $100 million were lost in 1997 to these deranged internet scams in Nigeria.

Doesn’t “internet scams” and “Nigeria” sound familiar? If so, it’s because these Nigerian internet scams are on the rise. If you have an email address, you’ve likely received some variation of the infamous internet scam letters from Nigeria. Internet scammers from Nigeria simply hack into any mailing list and snatch random email addresses. Then the Nigerian internet scammers send the same email to thousands of people, hoping that someone will fall for their Nigerian internet scams.

Reporting Internet Scams from Nigeria

Through the years, internet scams in Nigeria have become far more advanced. They’re not just asking people for their bank account info or SS number. The guys behind the internet scams in Nigeria are now embedding harmful links within emails. Clicking on the links within the Nigerian internet scam emails may possibly hack your information. Operators of internet scams in Nigeria will stop at nothing to steal money from innocent folks. If you happen to receive an email that seems fishy, it’s very likely that it’s one of the many internet scams from Nigeria. What can you do? Well, if you don’t just want to sit back and let the con-men behind internet scams from Nigeria take people’s cash, you can report the scam fraud email to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is well aware of these internet scams from Nigeria and is working hard on putting an end to these Nigerian internet scams.

Truth behind Scam Checks

There are many variations to the many scam checks floating around the world today. Sadly, the majority of these scam checks are prompted by online communications with experienced Nigerian scammers. Nigerian scammers will target those who are selling a high-ticket item or service online, send them scam checks and then get those who receive the scam checks to send them thousands of dollars in the blink of an eye.

Scam Checks and Check Fraud Alerts

The scam checks sent by the Nigerian scam artists will trigger check fraud alerts. But, it all starts by seeking people who are selling a high ticket item online, such as a car. The Nigerian scammers contact several sellers and tell them that they have a friend in the U.S that owes them money, so they’ll be receiving a check from their indebted friend, little do these sellers know that they’re about to be sent scam checks. These scam checks will be written for several thousand dollars more than the sale price.

The remainder of the money on the scam checks will be wired by the seller to a third party account. The seller receives one of the scam checks, the check clears and then the seller sends the remaining payment to the third party bank account. After a few weeks, the bank will send a check fraud alert to the seller stating that the check was fraudulent and the money that was initially deposited into the account will be withdrawn. So, the seller is left with missing merchandise, a scam check that resulted in a check fraud alert and a loss of the several thousand dollars that were wired to the third party bank account. Sucks, right?

If you’ve received an inquiry that seems similar, run the other way. Don’t wait until you receive check fraud alerts notifying you that your check was a check scam. Don’t take part in any transaction that seems fishy or which you suspect might trigger check fraud alerts.

What is the Bank of America Fraud Email?

The Bank of America fraud email is sent to hundreds of thousands people daily. These Bank of America fraud emails look very real and authentic. The logos on the Bank of America fraud emails look exactly the same as the real Bank of America ones and have a very official feel and urgency to them. The Bank of America fraud emails are usually asking for some information about you and your bank account, tell you that your account is in danger and/or are looking for a response in some way. DO NOT respond to these Bank of America fraud emails. They are nothing but hoaxes trying to get either information from you and even something a small as responding “take a long walk off a short pier” will give them information they could use.

So What can I do about these Bank of America Scam Emails?

After not answering, responding or calling any number in the Bank of America fraud email, the best thing to do is to forward the Bank of America fraud email to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov. You can put “Unwanted Spam email”,”suspected Bank of America fraud email” or something to that affect. The FTC will then investigate and hopefully stop the Bank of America fraud email scammers from sending out anymore of the Bank of America fraud emails.

If you are worried that this might be a real Bank of America e-mail (not a scam), look up your local Bank of America number online and call them. DO NOT use any number that might be in the email. Once you are sure you have the real Bank of America, ask them to verify whether or not there is a problem with the account. They then might ask you to forward the Bank of America fraud email to them.

Forward any e-mail you get to abuse@bankofamerica.com

Also remember to always check your credit report!

What are Fake Scam Text Messages?

Fake scam text messages are popping up on the phones of unsuspecting wireless users around the world. These fake scam text messages claim that your bank accounts have been hacked, or some other catchphrase to lure people into their fake scam. Unlike email scams, fake scams in text must be concise and to the point. The fake scam messages often have a total of less than 60 characters. The fake scam text messages will either include a link so you can login, create an account or even a phone number for you to call. But beware that these links and telephone numbers are only fronts that help the fake scam senders collect your information.

Why am I Receiving Fake Scams through Text?

Fake scam text messages are only made to lure you into giving up your bank account number and password or social security number. Obviously, those operating the fake scam will benefit greatly by draining your bank account. But, fake scams can actually benefit a heck of a lot more from receiving your SS number. Attaining your SS number can help these scammers sign up for credit cards, purchase expensive things, get a copy of your birth certificate or even sell your social security number to illegal immigrants so they can steal your identity!

Clearly, these fake scam messages are nothing but trouble. But, don’t be tempted to give em’ a piece of your mind. Throughout the years, hacking and virtual scams have become far more advanced. You never know if replying to the fake scam text with a simple “Screw You!” could allow them to hack your cell phone and other personal records. The best thing to do is to ignore these fake scam messages. The guys behind these fake scams are much brighter than you think. After all, they did manage to get your number, right? Pay these fake scams no mind and you should be fine.

What is a Nigerian Business Scam?

Nigerian business scams are just anther thread to the common Nigerian scams. Nigerian business scams urge you to help a successful company transfer millions of dollars out of Nigeria. Because of all your troubles, the Nigerian business scams will also offer you a hefty percentage of the riches. But, first, the guys responsible for the Nigerian business scams will want your bank account number, bank name and address your personal contact information (including address). 99% of Nigerian business scams will go without response. Why? Because the idiots behind Nigerian business scams need to learn a thing or two about believable lying.

Telltale Signs of Nigerian Business Scams

There are so many things wrong with these Nigerian business scams. For one, they are scams and frauds. The Nigerian business scams also expect you to provide your address and bank account information to complete strangers. Nigerian business scams, never state how they received your email or why they targeted you specifically. If you ask the con-men behind the Nigerian business scams how they got your email address, they’ll just make up a ridiculous answer, such as “I received your email from the MySpace database of single, rich and white businessmen.” Clearly no such database exists.

Weeding through the bull isn’t very difficult when dealing with Nigerian business scams. The con-men responsible for the Nigerian business scams never state your name. If they did get your email address from so-and-so database, don’t you think your full name would have been attached? The guys behind these Nigerian business scams need to smarten up!

* * If you’ve received an email from Nigerian business scams, forward your email to the FTC or the FBI. They’re working hard to put a stop to Nigerian Business scams.

Remember to always check your credit to amek sure no-one is scamming you!

Overview of Unemployment Fraud

You might be looking for fake jobs to watch for, if so look out our other article on employment fraud.

Many people assume that unemployment fraud automatically means the laid off employee is throwing fire. But, quite the contrary is true. Unemployment fraud is often brought about by employer fraud. Employer fraud is when an employer attempts to stop a laid off employee from seeking unemployment, hence the term unemployment fraud. But, why would these employers want to take part in unemployment fraud? It’s simply because their unemployment insurance rates will skyrocket with the addition of a newly laid off employee. Unemployment fraud is all a matter of personal greed and employers who take part in employer fraud are not true professionals.

How employer fraud works

Employer fraud happens when an employer has laid off an employee and tries to stop him from seeking unemployment benefits. The employer carries out his attempt at unemployment fraud by claiming that the employee wasn’t laid off, he was fired for outrageous behavior. The employer will further his chances of successful unemployment fraud by forging the documents that include write ups of the employee, other records and a signature that the employee was made aware of these incidents. But, courts will almost always side with the employee and spot the unemployment fraud in action because the employer has no tangible records of the alleged outrageous behavior.

Fighting Unemployment fraud

If your previous employee is trying to pullover unemployment fraud, get into contact with your local workforce and report the employer fraud. If you’re notified that you aren’t entitled to unemployment benefits, contact a lawyer immediately and pursue litigation against the unemployment fraud. You’re entitled to receive unemployment benefits, don’t let the unscrupulous plans of an unemployment fraud make you back down!