| One of the trickiest methods modern day scammers | | | | when you get there, there will be nothing wrong with |
| use to fool the unsuspecting public intohanding over | | | | youraccount. |
| their money and/or sensitive information is through | | | | Another popular email scam is a variation of the old |
| the use of email. Internet emailscams are growing in | | | | con game, "The Spanish Prisoner". This scamtypically |
| number, and they are getting more and more | | | | originates from Nigeria. The scammer contacts the |
| stealthy in their way of doingtheir deceptive business. | | | | victim, relating a story of a fortunethey wish to |
| Here are some of the most common email scams to | | | | extrapolate from their country. In return for the |
| watch out for, and afew ways you can protect | | | | victim's help with American legalfees and other such |
| yourself from the fraud in your inbox. | | | | bothersome petty costs, the scammer promises to |
| One of the most successful email scams is called a | | | | share a portion of theirwealth, usually in the millions of |
| phishing scam. Even a savvy web surfer can fallfor | | | | dollars. Of course, there is no money, and the victim |
| one of these if they are not careful. The scam goes | | | | winds upout whatever "legal fees" they have wired |
| as follows: The victim will receive an emailfrom, let's | | | | to the scammer. Though the con has been around |
| say, eBay. The email will indicate someone has tried | | | | along time, and seems almost preposterously too |
| to break into your eBay account,and thus eBay | | | | good to be true, its popularity is due to the factthat |
| security has locked your account in order to protect | | | | many people fall for this every year. Don't become |
| you. All you have to do is goto your eBay account, | | | | one of them. |
| type in your name, password, bank information, and | | | | Finally, there is the overpayment scam. This is the |
| PIN number, and youraccount will be put back to | | | | one to watch out for if you are offeringsomething |
| rights. Helpfully, they provide a link in the email to | | | | for sale on the internet. A potential buyer will contact |
| take you to yoursing in page. You click the link, put in | | | | you, wishing to buy the item. |
| your name and password, give over your bank | | | | They will pay your asking price, no questions asked. |
| information,and your account is back to normal. No | | | | The way they would prefer to do business,however, |
| harm, no foul, right? Wrong. You've just been | | | | is to send you a cashier's check for *above* the |
| phished. | | | | asking price. You could then refundthem the |
| Though the email looks as though it was from eBay, | | | | difference, and they will arrange to pick up the item |
| and may have even had "eBay" in the returnaddress, | | | | at a later date. The cashier's checkclears, everything |
| it was not from eBay. And even though the page | | | | seems good, and you send along the difference. |
| you went to looked exactly like yoursign in page, it | | | | Then, the bank informs you thatthe check in fact |
| wasn't. These scammers set up spoof email accounts | | | | has bounced, and suddenly you are out the |
| and replica pages in order tofool victims into giving | | | | "difference" you sent to the scammer. |
| them, not eBay (or Yahoo, or AOL, etc.) sensitive | | | | This one is growing in popularity and seems safe until |
| financial information. | | | | you know the details. Watch out for thisone. |
| In order to avoid these scams, never click on an | | | | These are just three example of some of the more |
| email link in order to verify your accountinformation. | | | | nefarious internet email scams out there. Watchout |
| If you receive an email such as the one above, open | | | | for anything in your inbox that seems too good to |
| your eBay (or other webaccount) page in a separate | | | | be true, asks for any sensitive information,or involves |
| browser from your bookmarks in order to ensure | | | | you doing something in a way that seems off in any |
| you're actuallygoing to the right page. Chances are, | | | | way. Chances are, it's a scam. |