Here’s
how
to
know
you
have
fallen
victim
to
a
scam
–
and
what
to
do
in
order
to
undo
or
mitigate
the
damage.
Online
fraud
can
be
thought
of
as
a
price
we
pay
for
the
ubiquity
of
digital
services.
These
services
make
our
lives
easier,
healthier,
safer
and
more
entertaining.
But
there
are
countless
scammers
out
there
waiting
to
steal
our
identities
and
money.
Their
ingenuity,
our
credulity
and
poor
corporate
security
combine
to
make
fraud
a
multibillion-dollar
challenge.
In
2021,
US
consumers
reported
losing
nearly
US$6bn
to
fraud,
up
70%
on
the
previous
year,
according
to
the
FTC.
Prevention
is
always
the
best
approach.
But
we’re
only
human.
And
our
adversaries
are
increasingly
resourceful
and
determined.
That
means
we
must
also
be
primed
and
ready
to
react
quickly
if
we
have
been
scammed
–
to
minimize
the
impact
on
our
lives
and
ensure
the
bad
guys
can’t
profit.
Two
side
of
the
same
coin
Sometimes
it’s
immediately
obvious
when
something’s
gone
wrong.
You
might
just
have
clicked
on
a
phishing
link
and
a
split-second
later
realize
what
happened.
Or
perhaps
you’ve
just
put
the
phone
down
on
a
tech
support
scammer
who
had
access
to
your
PC.
But
other
times,
it’s
less
obvious.
For
example,
if
hackers
get
hold
of
your
card
details
or
personal
information
like
social
security
numbers
via
a
third-party
breach.
Typically
they’ll
sell
these
on
a
cybercrime
marketplace,
where
fraudsters
congregate.
This
personal
data
will
be
bought
in
large
quantities
and
then
used
in
automated
attacks
including
follow-on
phishing,
payment
fraud,
account
takeover
or
new
account
fraud
(NAF).
Account
logins
might
be
resold
separately
to
provide
unscrupulous
buyers
with
access
to
your
streaming
service,
ride
hailing
account
etc.
The
bad
news
is
that
there
continues
to
be
a
steady
supply
of
stolen
data
onto
the
cybercrime
underground.
In
the
US
alone
there
were
over
1,800
reported
breaches
in
2022,
affecting
422
million
consumers
–
up
40%
year-on-year.
5
signs
you’ve
become
a
victim
of
fraud
With
that
in
mind,
here
are
five
signs
you
might
have
been
scammed.
-
Unusual
transactions
and/or
new
lines
of
credit.
If
fraudsters
have
your
data
and/or
financial
details
they
may
use
it
in
payment
fraud
–
where
stolen
card
details
and/or
cards
stored
in
hijacked
accounts
are
used
without
your
knowledge.
Alternatively,
they
may
use
your
identity
info
to
apply
for
new
credit
cards.
The
first
you’re
likely
to
hear
about
the
former
is
through
strange
activity
on
your
bank
account.
If
it’s
a
problem
with
NAF,
it
might
be
harder
to
spot
until
you
get
a
letter
or
email
notifying
about
late
payments.
Sometimes,
the
first
users
hear
about
NAF
is
when
they
check
their
credit
score
and/or
get
turned
down
by
a
lender. -
Purchased
item
didn’t
arrive.
E-commerce
fraud
is
another
growing
problem.
Scammers
will
often
try
to
flog
expensive
gear
online,
usually
at
heavily
marked
down
prices
to
attract
buyers.
Except
there
is
no
stock
and
they
simply
take
the
buyer’s
money,
requesting
payment
via
instant
cash
apps
like
Zelle, Venmo
and
Cash
App,
which
offer
no
buyer
protection. -
A
romantic
acquaintance
disappears.
Romance
fraud
made
scammers
over
$956m
in
2021,
according
to
the
FBI.
Even
this
is
likely
to
be
the
tip
of
the
iceberg,
as
many
incidents
go
unreported
because
victims
are
too
embarrassed
to
admit
they
were
taken
for
a
ride.
A
romance
fraudster
will
typically
build
a
rapport
online
with
their
victim
before
asking
for
money
for
various
spurious
requests
such
as
medical
bills,
or
transport
costs.
Once
they
feel
their
victim
has
nothing
more
to
give,
they’ll
disappear,
never
to
be
heard
from
again. -
Locked
out
of
account(s).
If
a
scammer
has
your
logins
then
they
will
typically
access
your
account
and
change
the
password.
It
could
be
anything
from
your
social
media
to
your
Uber
or
Netflix
account.
These
can
be
harvested
for
personal
information,
including
stored
credit
card
details.
But
they’re
also
a
valuable
commodity
in
their
own
right.
Instagram
accounts
are
worth
$45
each,
as
opposed
to
$2
for
a
social
security
number,
according
to
one
report.
This
is
because
such
accounts
can
be
used
to
spam
other
users
following
your
profile. -
Unable
to
withdraw
money
from
a
crypto
investment.
Investment
fraud
is
another
high
earner.
It
made
nearly
$1.5bn
in
2021,
more
than
any
other
category
of
cybercrime
except
business
email
compromise.
Investors
are
typically
encouraged
to
put
money
in,
perhaps
even
being
shown
fake
returns
on
their
investment.
However,
when
you
want
to
actually
withdraw
any
of
that
money
they’ll
likely
cut
and
run.
What
to
do
next
So
you’ve
been
scammed.
What
next?
If
it’s
a
serious
amount
of
money,
you
may
want
to
contact
the
local
authorities.
They
can
also
help
by
sharing
a
recovery
plan.
Think
agencies
like
Action
Fraud
in
the
UK
and
the
Federal
Trade
Commission
(FTC)
at
IdentityTheft.gov
in
the
US.
The
next
port
of
call,
if
financial
data
was
taken,
should
be
your
bank.
Call
the
bank’s
fraud
line
or
use
your
banking
apps
to
freeze
any
cards
potentially
used
by
the
fraudsters.
Have
them
send
replacement
cards.
Other
remediation
steps
to
recover
from
an
attack
and
build
cyber-resilience
for
the
future
include:
-
Password
change.
Use
strong,
unique
passwords,
ideally
stored
and
recalled
by
a
password
manager.. -
Two-factor
authentication
(2FA),
which
adds
a
second
layer
of
security
on
top
of
passwords
to
mitigate
the
threat
of
phishing
and
account
takeover. -
Keep
devices
patched
and
up
to
date. -
Don’t
save
your
personal
and
financial
details
in
an
online
account.
Although
it’s
more
hassle
entering
details
each
time,
it’s
more
secure
if
you
check
out
as
a
guest. -
Ensure
all
devices
and
PCs
are
secured
with
anti-malware
protection
from
a
reputable
vendor. -
Use
a
reputable
security
solution
on
all
your
devices
Fraud
isn’t
inevitable.
But
if
it
does
strike,
stay
calm
and
work
through
these
steps
to
minimize
its
impact.
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