Internet Crimes: Stop
Internet Fraud and
Identity theft.
Intrenet crimes becomes hot
issues in the world. Identity
theft and
identity fraud are terms used to refer
to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another
person’s personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically
for economic gain. Your personal data–especially your Social Security number,
your bank account or credit card number, your telephone calling card number,
and other valuable identifying data–can be used, if they fall into the wrong
hands, to personally profit at your expense. In many cases, a victim’s losses
may include not only out-of-pocket financial losses, but substantial additional
financial costs associated with trying to restore his reputation in the
community and correcting erroneous information for which the criminal is
responsible. If by any reason your credit card informations are stolen there
are 3 possible directions where it could end, in all of them you lose money:
1.
Online credit card fraud. The thief can purchase
online from companies like: adult content, hosting services, online
subscription, gambling sites and much more. In this case, the amount of money
you can lose is small but in this category other way of charging your card can
make you sad. A thief could buy online electronics and send to a drop (fake
address) and pick up the goods. This method is used mostly by nigerians which
send emails like (short example) “I`m doctor in New York and my son in Lagos
Nigeria wants a laptop, I will buy with my credit card and I want to know if
you can send the package to him. I will pay extra and express shipping“. What
can you learn from this email. 1st he is a nigerian; 2nd he is using a stolen
credit card; 3rd nobody will pay extra or express shipping, by this they play
with the human greed and subconscious making the seller to forget that he can
expose him self to fraud.
2.
Carding. It`s a term used by fraudsters and by
these method you have the change to lose a big amount of money. They write a
new card exactly like yours and go to ATM and try to get some money out of it.
If they have the PIN number and the credit card informations are good they can
withdraw they daily limit you have on your card every day until you notice and
call the bank to freeze your account. So if you are on a vacation and relax at
the heat of sun “carders” can let your account empty or even worst on negative
balance.
3.
The last and most dangerous way of extracting money
from your credit card balance involves big amount of money. Like in the last
case they write a new card with your information and go to a store (not online)
and buy electronics, clothes, perfumes. You have a limit to withdraw money from
ATM but you don`t have a limit to buy this is why in one day they can empty
your credit card account. The picture attached to this post is the hardware
which they use to make a clone of your credit card. To anticipate
internet crimes as mentioned above, DO NOT GIVE THE PIN NUMBER, it`s a secret. Don`t use
your credit card to buy online and never give away personal information if you
see the https:// at the beginning of domain name (example: https://www.domain-name.com/credit-card-purchase.php).
Even if it is a secured website NEVER give away your PIN NUMBER from credit
card, the only person who must have access to it it`s you and only you.
Scam emails come insolicited and
have different directions. Some of them redirect you to bogus (fake) websites
where you must insert all your personal information such as: full name and
address, credit/debit card with pin number and SSN. You must remember some
important thinks: look at the domain name. If a website request your PIN number
close the internet browser and call the bank, site or company. The best way to
decreasethe danger of going on fake sites allways open a new browser and type
your self the web address your self. Be carefull because identity theft could
get you in jail if you don`t have any proof of the fake email. Don`t open
emails from bulk. Do not download files with extension: .scr, .pif, .com and
.exe they all can hide virus or trojans. Best way to defend your self is to go
at the website where you received the email from.