The most popular Online Scams that everyone is falling for

As the internet expands so do the online scams and how sophisticated they are becoming.

What online scams all have in common is that they prey on your fear, greed, and ignorance – here are some of the most sophisticated online scams on the internet that everyone seems to fall for.

Phishing – One of the most popular scams out there is email phishing. Victims of phishing scams will be tricked into giving out their passwords through legitimate emails and seemingly trustworthy businesses. According to a recent study, nearly 100 000 attempts of phishing are reported each month.
Learn more about phishing scams here.

The Nigerian Prince Scam – One of the oldest online scams in the books is the Nigerian prince scam. You’ll receive an email from a Nigerian prince or investor offering you a chance of financial gain, the catch is you need to pay a small portion upfront or give out your private banking information.

Ticket Fraud – Victims of the ticket fraud scam will be tricked into buying fake tickets for popular sporting events, concerts, and other events. Often, the tickets will have forged barcode or be duplicates, while other times you’ll pay and never receive any tickets. Learn more about ticket scams here.

Celebrity Impersonators – Similar to phishing, online scammers sometimes like to pretend to be celebrities or influencers. The scam usually involves messaging victims and promising “gifts” if they click on a link.

Ransomware – Some of the worst scams involve ransomware. Hackers will install malware on your computer that blocks you from accessing your files, from there payment is demanded, often Bitcoin, in order for you to unblock your personal files.

GoFundMe Fakes – Another thriving online scam is using crowdfunding websites to take advantage of people’s generosity and can them into donating money for a fake fund.

Some of the most elaborate and sophisticated scams are doing the rounds on the internet right now, so always be on the lookout and use your common sense!

Want to know more about online scams as well as more about our Digital Forensics and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) services? Contact us on 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za | www.contact@tcgforensics.co.za. Alternatively, take a look at our website www.tcgforensics.co.za | www.osint.co.za 

How can a Digital Device be involved in a Cyber Crime?

In this day and age, it is so easy for criminals to use a digital device to carry out a traditional crime.

A traditional crime such as blackmail which, back in the day, would usually be done using newspaper cuttings collaged together to create a ransom note is now being done in a completely different way using the power of digital devices as well as the internet.

These days, it is so much easier for criminals to just use a computer to carry out a range of crimes such as, blackmail, identity theft, social media scams, ticket scams, dating bots, data theft and so much more.

Some examples of other traditional crimes where a digital device can be used include instant messaging, which is often used to commit harassment. Criminals also continue to pose as your bank where they will SMS you and try to scam you into paying fake accounts, etc.

Email is also used by cybercriminals on a regular basis to commit fraud by using phishing scams. It seems that the list is endless and so is the workload of digital forensics investigators as well as those dealing with Open Source Intelligence! Want to know more about our digital forensics and OSINT services? Please contact us on 021 110 0422, email contact@tcgforensics.co.za | contact@osint.co.za.

In the TCG Digital Forensics and OSINT department, we combine the experience of seasoned investigators with the latest technologies to achieve the results that you require. Contact us today!

What are Online Ticket Scams?

Online ticket scammers usually target various, popular events or destinations to try and take advantage or all the people who are desperately rushing and searching for tickets for buy.

Fake tickets for various events include:

- Concerts
- Conferences
- Plays
- Sporting events
- Live performances
- Shows
- Flight or train tickets
- Other special events

In general, all the tickets that these scammers sell are completely fake. Other times the tickets don’t exist, to begin with, so you pay but never receive anything.

Since 2015 online ticket scams have been increasing and occurring more often. Scammers have been having a field day because of all the popular shows and events that are happening these days.

Here are some tell-tale signs to lookout for:

- The prices are much higher than the regular ticket price OR the prices are suspiciously low.

- Before you buy tickets from a website, always check the contact details to make sure it’s legitimate.
- If the website URL doesn’t include “https” you’re most likely dealing with a scammer.

- If the seller requests a very specific payment for the ticket such as cash, a gift card or cryptocurrency, it’s most likely a scam.

- If they’re selling the tickets on social media, the language is stilted and it seems English isn’t their first language.

- Their social media profile includes no details, all their posts were made a couple of days ago and their friends were all recently added.

And obviously, if it feels like it is too good to be true then it probably is!

If you paid for fake tickets, contact OSINT immediately on 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za. And we will do everything we can to assist you in getting your money back and catching the scammers!