How to Protect Yourself from the Latest Scams

Here are some of the latest scams that have been reported in May 2023, along with tips on how to protect yourself:

• Booking.com scam: This scam involves scammers sending emails that appear to be from Booking.com, offering a 20% discount on hotel bookings. The emails include a link that, when clicked, takes the victim to a fake Booking.com website. Once the victim enters their personal information, the scammers can use it to steal their identity or make unauthorized purchases.

To protect yourself from this scam, be suspicious of any unsolicited emails that offer discounts or deals from well-known companies. If you receive an email from Booking.com, look for the following red flags:

Code snippet

* The email address doesn't match the official Booking.com address.
* The email is poorly written or contains grammatical errors.
* The email asks you to click on a link or provide personal information.

Use code with caution.

If you receive an email that you think might be a scam, don't click on any links or provide any personal information. Instead, contact Booking.com directly to verify the offer.

• Payday loan scam: This scam involves scammers offering fake payday loans that they claim will help people settle their bills. Loan applicants are told they'll need to prepay a fee. The money goes into the crooks' pockets, and the applicant gets nothing.

To protect yourself from this scam, be wary of anyone who asks you to pay any sort of loan fee with a gift card or some other nontraceable form of payment. If you're considering taking out a payday loan, be sure to do your research and only borrow from a reputable lender.

• Bank impersonator racket: This scam involves scammers calling people, claiming to be from their bank and warning about a problem with their account. The caller tells the victim they're emailing or texting them a “onetime passcode” for logging in and asks them to read it back to them for verification. In reality, the scammer's login attempt triggered the victim's bank to send them the passcode. Handing it over gives criminals full access to the victim's account.

To protect yourself from this scam, never give out your personal information or security codes to someone who calls you, even if they claim to be from your bank. Instead, hang up and call your bank directly to verify the call.

• Unasked for delivery: This scam involves a delivery person delivering a package to a victim that they're sure they haven't ordered. The delivery person will then insist that money will be deducted from the victim's credit card or bank account if they do not cancel the order. The victim is then asked to share an OTP for cancellation, which the scammer can use to gain access to the victim's account.

To protect yourself from this scam, never accept a package that you're not expecting. If you do receive a package that you're not expecting, don't open it and don't provide any personal information to the delivery person. Instead, contact the company that shipped the package to verify the delivery.

By following these tips, you can help to protect yourself from scams.