1. Employment scams
From phony ads on job sites to fake recruitment pitches in your inbox, beware of employment scams.
In some cases, the goal is simply to gain your personal information. You’re told you got the job, so you fill out paperwork that includes your Social Security number and your bank account info for direct deposit.
More elaborate scams can involve bogus payments. Some scams, for example, ask would-be employees to pay for training or useless certifications. Others pay new staffers a bonus (with a check that will eventually bounce), then ask for money back due to “overpayment.”
2. Cryptocurrency scams
Scammers use dating apps, messaging apps, social media and other communications to build relationships and trust with their targets, then share their “expertise” on investments, frequently promising large returns and little risk.
Criminals often show victims fake profit reports, which encourages them to invest more. But when investors try to withdraw funds, they’re frequently charged outrageous fees. The bogus companies then typically vanish before investors receive their money.
3. Card-declined scams
The BBB’s Scam Tracker has received many recent reports from consumers whose credit cards are declined while making an online purchase. Typically they try using a different card, but that one fails, too. And yet despite the card-declined notices, the charges have actually occurred for each transaction — and often for more than they thought.
The fraud typically occurs when people visit fraudulent sites or click on fraudulent links.