With the internet making it easier to connect with people from any corner of the world, current services or products online to make them accessible to everyone online, explore new topics or gain knowledge, it brings some potential risks along with these ample benefits. Online scams are what we are talking about, which have increased to 70% in recent times and are continuously widening and evolving.
While scammers use online mode to contact people with attractive offers or discounts to attract their attention and ask them for money in return for services or products that never reach the customer. The scammers get the money and information without delivering the promised benefits, while the victim loses everything. Although scammers use different modes to approach potential victims, they have some standard tools. To learn about these scammers’ means, we talked to Raghib Khan, Co-Founder of RNF Technologies, a company that provides digital products and creative solutions to businesses worldwide, and asked him to share his knowledge and expertise on digital scams.
Standard Scamming Tools, Highlighted By RNF Technologies’ Raghib Khan
RNF Technologies’ Raghib Khan shares that scammers fear being caught, and they use specific tools first to keep their identity confidential and hidden from the public. For this, they use the following tools like transfer agents to get their transactions done without questioning, fake phone numbers so that nobody can reach them even by tracing the call records, and use false company addresses on their websites, making it difficult for anyone to contact their office. On that note, let’s discuss how each of these tools helps scammers in conducting their digital scams.
- Money Transfer Agents
Although money transfer agents help people transfer money quickly, conveniently, and in a reliable way, scammers explore this to conduct scams like advance fees, identity theft, mass market scam, or investments. RNF Technologies’ Raghib Khan underlines that money transfer services ask for the sender’s identity and not the receiver’s ID proof, making it a preferable choice for scammers.
If you come across someone who asks you to pay through money transfer services, don’t make any payments to buy products or services, as non-delivery of them even after money transfer is not the fault of the money transfer agents. You will be responsible for your loss.
Always go through the warnings of money transfer documents. They will guide you better than believing the scammers suggesting this option. In case of doubts, refer to the company, not the scammers. Also, avoid sharing details of a money transfer to prove your funds, as this will allow the money transfer to be paid to that individual, known as a ‘proof of funds’ scam.
- Fake Phone Numbers
Many phone companies provide national and premium rate numbers without asking for business ID proof from the buyer. Scammers use these numbers and divert them to unregistered pay-as-you-go mobile numbers or a different answering service, making it difficult for others to trace their numbers.
Scammers use these numbers to make you believe they are legitimate businesses operating from different countries. Sometimes, Co-Founder of RNF Technologies’ Faisal Abidi, shared scammers even use software that allows them to choose the number they want to appear on the victim’s phone screen, known as ‘spoofing.’
Be cautious while dealing with a person on the phone if you’re unaware of their identity and rely only on their phone number to make contact. Because you never know when they’ll discontinue their number and disappear, underlines RNF Technologies’ Raghib Khan.
- Distant Virtual Offices
Various businesses often register virtual offices instead of real office addresses, even though they won’t visit the office. It gives users an excellent impression when they notice that the company has offices in different countries. However, most of these companies are legit, except for scammers. They take advantage of these virtual offices to conduct scams, and when the victims try to catch them at their addresses, they realize the scammers don’t operate from there.
Conclusion
One needs to stay cautious while interacting with people to make a deal, buy their products or services, or even collaborate. Scammers are always looking for potential victims, so don’t give them a chance to take advantage of your negligence, suggests Raghib Khan, RNF Technologies.
