7 Forms of internet fraud that cost you a lot of money!

Internet, nowadays we can’t live without it. Whether we order food, buy shoes, look for a new date or rent a movie: the internet is often our “reliable” starting point for various activities. Although the internet provides a lot of convenience, the online world also has many threats. Internet fraud in particular is a major problem among computer users. Discover the most important types of internet fraud and avoid being a victim of fraud.

1. Online dating fraud

The internet is used worldwide to find a new love. Whether you are `swiping´ for love or the search takes place on a more serious dating website: be on your guard in all cases. Online criminals regularly use these websites to scam internet users. First contact is made with the help of fake profiles. Subsequently, a bond is established, daily chat conversations take place and “personal” information is shared.

After a while, the scammer will try to make a start with the fraud attempt. For example, they come up with an excuse that they are on holiday abroad and that they urgently need money, for example to pay for medical assistance. When the money is sent, the contact will usually be broken and this “new love” will never be heard from again.

2. The Nigerian prince

This well-known form of internet fraud is also known as ‘advance-fee scam’ and is carried out via e-mail. The victim will first receive a message from a Nigerian prince, government official, bank employee or other ‘person of high-estate’. They ask for a relatively low amount of money that the victim should pay in advance, after which a huge amount will be paid to the victim.

If the victim has transferred the first amount, he will almost always be asked to transfer more money. This continues until the victim smells trouble and stops the conversation. This type of internet fraud can completely ruin the victims. In famous cases, the “Nigerian scammers” have even managed to steal hundreds of millions in this way.

3. Disasters and charity scams

That online scammers are heartless becomes especially clear during this form of internet fraud. During disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes and other disasters, scammers regularly try to steal their share of donations. They do this by setting up an unreliable website on which kind-hearted donors can make a “donation” for a good cause. Of course, this money will not end up with the people who need it, but will end up in the pockets of the scammers.

4. Stop! Law enforcement!

The police virus is a persistent and annoying form of internet fraud. This type of scam takes place with the help of ransom software. This means that a pop-up appears and your computer is suddenly blocked. A message from the police can appear with the message that money has to be paid, for example because you have downloaded an illegal movie. If you do not transfer this amount, your PC will remain blocked and you will never again have access to your (personal) documents.

Obviously this message does not come from the police and unfortunately the problem is rarely resolved when you transfer the proposed fine. Not only do you lose a lot of money, but your computer also remains blocked.

You can only prevent this type of internet fraud if you use reliable security software. At SoftwareLicense4U you will find the best antivirus software at the lowest prices. Quickly view our temporary offers and avoid losing valuable files such as photos, credit card details and work data.

5. Ticket fraud

These days, the internet is regularly used to buy and sell tickets for sports competitions, concerts and festivals. As long as this happens through official points of sale of this event, something will rarely go wrong. However, criminals regularly try to sell fake tickets via counterfeit websites and auction sites.

As a customer you often not only pay a much higher amount than the official selling price through these websites. There is also a high probability that the cards are counterfeit or that they will be blocked. Prevent this form of internet fraud and buy your tickets for concerts or sports competitions only through the official sales channels.

6. Money Making Machine scam

Own your own ATM… who doesn’t want that? Fraudsters try to give victims the impression that this is possible via this type of scam. The victim receives the message that an application must first be installed. A PayPal account should then be linked to this software. The application must then run as much as possible and pop-ups and advertisements will appear continuously on the computer screen. According to the scammers, a certain amount of money will be transferred per click.

In a certain way, this form of fraud will indeed generate money, but then for the scammers. After all, they receive a small amount per click, while your computer will actually be very slow. Also other software can be installed on your PC during this form of internet fraud that can be (very) harmful to your computer.

7. Social Media Fraud

Who does not use social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? These websites are immensely popular and are considered reliable by many internet users. Unfortunately this is not always the case. For example, sometimes you may receive a friend request from a “well-known” family member or close friend. Although the account seems reliable, the complete profile contains stolen photos and data.

The scammer will then make contact with the victims via this “counterfeit” profile. For example, they ask for money so that they can pay for gasoline or for a medical bill. Inattentive victims will not notice that the message does not come from the “real” family member, after which money is transferred to cyber criminals.

Avoid internet fraud

Hundreds of millions are stolen each year via the above forms of internet fraud. The victims will never see this money again. Therefore, be careful when you go online and avoid becoming a victim of internet fraud. An essential step for this is to install reliable security software. At SoftwareLicense4U you will find the best software from ESET and Bitdefender.

This way, you will always receive a notification when a website is counterfeit, if website security is incorrect, or when unreliable software is installed. Of course your computer will also be protected against viruses, malware and ransomware. Quickly view our offers and easily find the security package that suits your needs.