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This is my third series on the Online Financial Scams. I hope this series can create some awareness to avoid online financial scams.

In the second series, I quoted some online financial scams as published and advised by the Public Security Bureau of China.

In this, I elaborate more on the advice given by The Public Security Bureau of China

2. Purchasing Scams

a. Impersonating supplier to scam

The scammers act like the real online suppliers, using attractive discounts, helping to purchase from overseas as bait, once the buyers remit the money.

The scammer will tell the victim that Customs have detained the goods, therefore the victim needs to pay additional tax, ask the buyers to pay additional amounts to carry out their scams.

b. Refund scam.

The scammers impersonate the online merchants like Taobao or JD customers services, call or message the buyers, to inform them that the goods purchased are out of stock and they need to refund the money remitted and ask the buyers to provide the bank card numbers and password and other information, to carry out their scam.

c. Online purchase scam

The scammers open online platform, once the buyers place orders, they inform that the buyers that the platform faced some problem and need to reboot. After that using messaging system to send fictitious activation code, getting the buyers to fill in their particulars, to carry out their scam

d. rock bottom price goods scam

Scammers published message such as they have second hands goods, like vehicles, computers and goods confiscated by Custom Department ready to be sold, once intended buyers contact them, and get the innocent buyers pay the necessary deposit and processing fees and scammed the buyers.

e. Termination of installment payment scam

The scammer impersonate the website workers and informed the customers that due to bank system error, require the victims to go to the ATM to terminate the installment payment plan and execute a cash transfer.

f. Collector scam

Scammers impersonating officer from the Collector Association, print invitations to all places claiming they are holding auction of collectors items and leave the contact number. Once the victims contact them, they will ask the victims to pay for valuation and assessment fees and require the victims to remit the amounts to designated bank account.

g. Courier receipt scam.

This scam works in the following manner:

  • Scammer impersonating they are from courier company, and
  • call the victim that there is a courier item to be delivered,
  • however the address and information are not clear,
  • hence require the victim to provide clearer information, before goods are delivered,
  • once the victim signed receipt,
  • they will call and inform that the victim
  • Victim will be asked to acknowledge for prepayment of money,
  • if they do not do so, the debt collection company will look for them.

3. Events/ Activities Scams

a. Promoting fictitious charities' message

Scammers put up a missing person poster and ask good Samaritan will help to spread the news about the missing person without realizing that the contact number posted is a scamming phone number.

b. "like" scam

Scammer post as merchants who promote the 'click like' will win prize campaign, requiring participants to provide their name, contact number and other personal data to a social media platform, after securing enough data, they call the victim and inform them that they have won a prize, however to claim their prize, they need to pay certain amount to guarantee their prize.

4. Incentive Inducement Scams

a. Impersonating well-known corporate for lottery won.

Scammers impersonating a well-known enterprise, and printed a lot of high resolution lottery tickets and mail to targets, after that will inform the victims that they need to pay personal income tax for the winnings, and ask the victims to disclose their main bank accounts numbers to remit the money.

b. Win prizes in entertainment program.

Scammers use the popular entertainment program to message the victims that they had won the lucky draw prize, however to get the prize, they need to furnish their income tax number or pay a guarantee amount to secure the prize.

c. Bonus Points Scam

Scammer call the victims telling the victim that their phone points are entitled to convert to cash, seducing the victims to click on the phishing link, if the victims click on the link and input their bank details and passwords, their account balance will be transferred away.

d. QR Code Scam

Using discount, incentive as bait, ask the victim to scan the QR Code to be a member, the QR Code has a Trojan Horse in it and once scanned, the scammer will use that Trojan Horse to steal the particulars of the victims' bank details.

e. Paying huge sum for a kid scam

The scammer tell the victim that he is willing to pay huge sum to have a kid, and is prepared to pay the sum to show is sincerity

f. Highly Paid Job Scam

The tricks of the Scammers, via social media, are as follows:

  • advertise that they are hiring professional
  • with attractive salary, and
  • request any victims to be at the designated place for interviews,
  • after that demanding the victims to pay for training, uniform and guarantee fees.

g. Email Scam

The Email Scam of the Scammers works as below:

  • use email to inform victims that they have won lucky prizes and
  • once the victim contacts the scammer,
  • scammer tell victim that they need to pay for the income tax for winning the prize,
  • ask the winner to pay  guarantee fees for the prizes and
  • demand the victim to remit money to secure their prizes

In Summary

If you have any questions or wish to share your experience on this topic, please feel free to leave your comments, questions and your experience in the feedback space below.

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