Scams. How Many? – #BeCyberSmart

Something simple for a weekend.

I have been doing a lot reading lately for updating our email/phishing training and came across this list of scams that are used by cyber criminals. It is not complete!

Old Scams Finding New Victims

✓ Advance fee schemes
✓ Apartment deposit scams
✓ Bitcoin scams
✓ Bulk-mailing opportunities
✓ Business Email Compromise
✓ Business fraud
✓ CEO wire fraud
✓ Charity fraud
✓ Counterfeit money orders and cashier’s checks
✓ COVID-19 scams
✓ Craigslist scams
✓ Credit card fraud
✓ Email chain letters
✓ Facebook impersonation scam (hijacked profile scam)
✓ Fake antivirus software
✓ Fake ransomware traps
✓ Fake shopping websites
✓ Fictitious charities
✓ Fraud involving online auctions and classified ads
✓ Fraudulent cosmetics and “anti-aging” products
✓ Funeral and cemetery fraud
✓ GoFundMe scams
✓ Greeting card scams
✓ Health and life insurance fraud
✓ Hitman scam
✓ Identity theft
✓ Illegal sports betting
✓ Inheritance, laundering, and embezzlement scams
✓ internet auction fraud
✓ Investment schemes such as pump-and-dump and scalping
✓ IRS scams
✓ Job offer scams
✓ Letter of credit fraud
✓ Loyalty points phishing scam
✓ Nigerian Letter or “419” Fraud
✓ Online automotive fraud
✓ Online dating scams
✓ Overpayment online scam
✓ PayPal and money transfer fraud
✓ Phishing and smishing (that is, texting through your phone)
✓ Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, and multilevel marketing
✓ Prime bank note fraud
✓ Reverse mortgage scams
✓ Romance scams
✓ Schemes that involve reducing credit card interest or debt
✓ Tech support online scams
✓ Telephone solicitation fraud
✓ Travel and vacation fraud
✓ Unexpected winnings scam
✓ Web service and credit card cramming (that is, billing for unauthorized services)
✓ Work-from-home schemes

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

References:

CYBERHEIST: The Biggest Financial Threat Facing Organizations Worldwide by Stu Sjouwerman
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