Scams On The Rise: Stay Informed and Stay Safe
Important Updates on Online Scams and How to Protect Yourself.
At RHM, we are seeing and hearing more from our clients about scams and dodgy emails they are getting regarding their websites, hosting fees, emails and social media just to name a few.
It’s on the increase so keep on your toes.
Phishing is the single most common form of cybercrime. An estimated 3.4 billion emails a day are sent by cyber criminals, designed to look like they come from trusted senders. This is over a trillion phishing emails per year. Email impersonation accounts for an estimated 1.2% of all email traffic globally. Around 36% of all data breaches involve phishing.
Below are some tips and ideas on how to keep yourself safe.
What are Facebook trading scams?
A Facebook trading scam occurs when someone masquerades as a seller on a 'buy and sell' Facebook page or group, or fabricates a fake business page. They feign possession of goods or services for sale, but once they receive payment, they fail to fulfil the transaction.
How can I distinguish between a scammer and a legitimate seller?
Facebook business pages: Fake Facebook pages often appear genuine. To verify, check the reviews on the page to see if previous customers encountered issues. Look for blue or grey verification ticks on the page, indicating Facebook's authentication. Facebook profiles on 'buy and sell' pages/groups: Scammers may use their own Facebook profile or create a fake one, striving to make it seem authentic by adding friends and photos. A new or incomplete profile could signal fraudulent activity.
Should I be wary of trading through Facebook buy and sell groups/pages?
All online platforms carry risks. Facebook buy and sell pages/groups lack Facebook's moderation, heightening the risk. Platforms like Trade Me offer dedicated trading features and protection measures, such as leaving feedback and lodging complaints.
I still want to use Facebook buy and sell pages – how can I minimise financial risks?
Ideally, pay after inspecting the goods in person. If not feasible, exercise caution if a deal seems too good to be true. Request tracked shipping and use secure payment platforms like PayPal.
What should I do if I've fallen victim to a Facebook scam?
Recovering lost funds can be challenging. In New Zealand, recourse typically involves the Disputes Tribunal, requiring the seller's address and an application fee. Report active fraudulent profiles/pages to Facebook and flag fake ads. Leave a review on the page to warn others.
What if my genuine Facebook listing has been copied?
We often receives reports of scammers replicating authentic listings. Report the copied listing immediately. Consider cautioning potential buyers by adding a warning to your legitimate listing. Always have vehicles inspected in person before making payments, even if the listing appears identical.
Image-based scams:
Image-based email scams, while not new, have become more prevalent as email providers enhance their scam-detection capabilities. These emails consist entirely of an image with a hidden hyperlink, aiming to prompt interaction and redirect users to third-party pages. Exercise caution with unfamiliar sender emails and hover your mouse pointer over them to check for linked images before clicking.
Giveaway scams:
Scammers are now leveraging New Zealand brand names to enhance credibility in phishing emails. Be wary of generic greetings and verify sender email addresses for legitimacy, especially custom domain addresses ending in .com or .co.nz.
iMessage scams:
Scammers are adapting to countermeasures by mobile carriers and are turning to iMessage scams as an alternative method to reach a large number of mobile users. These scams encompass various forms, such as toll payment and postage scams, often claiming urgency or distress. Treat messages from unfamiliar email addresses with scepticism, particularly those purporting to be from reputable organisations and using New Zealand or special numeric sender IDs.
Tax scams are a perennial nuisance. The familiar patterns persist this year, ranging from emails urging you to follow links and submit returns to requests for downloading tax refund forms. Here are some key indicators to watch for when identifying messages purportedly from the IRD:
Personalization: Legitimate messages from the IRD typically address you by name.
Links to myIR: The IRD won't include links to the myIRD login page in emails or texts; you'll need to navigate to the website independently.
Refund amounts: Genuine IRD communications won't disclose refund amounts via email or text.
Similar email addresses/links: Some scammers might use addresses closely resembling the official IRD domain, like ird.co.nz, ird.qovt.nz, or ird.gov.nz.
Threats or intimidating language: The IRD doesn't resort to threats of sudden arrest.
Payment methods: The IRD only solicits payment through official channels, such as electronic means, phone, instalments, or in person at Westpac branches.
Unexpected calls: If you receive a suspicious call purportedly from the Inland Revenue, ask for the caller's details and contact the IRD via the numbers listed on their official website.
Be aware, keep on your toes, and if you ever want to check with us first on something you have received, feel free to drop us a line at info@righthandman.co.nz.