Everyone can be scammed, whether you are well-educated or very connected to the internet. What’s scary is that one of the recent Malaysian victims is a trainee doctor!
Scams are everywhere. They are just like pesky cockroaches that won’t stop making your life a living hell. Unless, of course, you are doing something about them.
This is why it’s important to understand what make scams, a scam. Below are some tips to spot a scammer.
1. Scammers will ask for your personal data
A strategy commonly used by phone scammers; the caller would ask for your valuable personal data such as bank account number or credit card details. In other words, never ever share your personal data with anyone, particularly if the caller happens to be vague or suspicious.
2. You have somehow won a prize
You don’t remember entering any contest recently but somehow you receive a notification that you have won, for example, the latest iPhone model.
But here’s the catch. You need to pay a certain fee to claim your so-called “prize”. It can be anything (read: excuses) from courier charges to bank fees.
If this happens, turn your back right now.
3. You get offers that are too good to be true
Anything that's too good to be true, such as a job offer that promises unbelievably high pay but requires less-to-no skill set or experience is likely a… scam.
There’s no such thing as easy money. If you need to double-confirm the offer's authentication, try calling the company directly or do some online digging via Google.
4. The posting has many spelling errors and grammar mistakes
If you find an email, SMS or WhatsApp message filled with words and sentences that hardly sound right, it’s pretty much a scam. This is particularly evident if grammar and spelling mistakes are littered within the words.
5. Suspicious email address(es)
It’s important to take note of any email that isn’t on your contact list. If the email is from someone you don’t know, do not click on the link or open any attachments. Your best bet is to delete them directly since clicking them may install malicious programmes such as malware or viruses.
6. Scammers will threaten and force you to make a police report
The key to a "successful" scam is to instil fear, and many do this when they mention "police".
When the caller says they’ll redirect you to the police station, PUT THE PHONE DOWN. This common tactic is to make you panic. And if you panic, you will not be able to think straight.
Usually, if the police require you to make a report, you have to do it in person. No police will let a bank/company direct a phone call to them.
