Sadly, it is very much the case that consumers these days are often unaware that they have been the victim of a scam; this happens because so many scams stay under the radar by targeting large numbers of people but for small sums of cash. Even more sadly, is the fact that many of the people caught by one scam could head towards a double scam. Confused? Read on …
How can you be scammed and not know about it?
You might have given money to a phony charity, signed up to a bogus competition, or even invested in a fraudulent business opportunity. Often, these ventures have cost you only a few dollars and you tend to forget about them. However, when you have been caught up in such a scam, you might find yourself on a “suckers list” that is shared amongst other fraudsters. These lists are bought and sold by scammers and contain the names and contact details of people who have “bitten” on scams in the past. The reasoning is that people who have been fooled before can be fooled again.
How close are you to a double scam?
The way that people are scammed twice is when a company targets consumers who have already been scammed under the guise of trying to help them. It might be a service like a cancellation service, refund attorney or recovery advice etc. The trick is that you will be asked to pay for these services, thus being exposed to a double scam. Sometimes the same people who scammed you the first time around are the same fraudsters who offer you a “solution” to your problem.
How to avoid a double scam
Never fear, we can help you to avoid recovery scammers. Here are our hints and tips:
1. Never give your credit card or banking details when attempting to recover goods or funds.
2. Never, ever wire money before you are satisfied with the service provided or you have received the goods/funds promised by the telemarketer.
3. If someone claims to represent a government agency in the USA and states that they will recover lost money, goods, or donations you should report the incident to the authorities immediately
4. It is generally the case that anyone who calls claiming to be a governmental representation who will recover goods for you is a scam. Be very wary, especially if they require a wire transfer.
5. Before you use any company which offers recovery services be sure to ask what services they offer and at what cost. You should then check out the company with local authorities and the Better Business Bureau.
The people who operate these kinds of scams are expert at what they do, and have generally been doing it for a long time. This means they have it down to a fine art, but you can still protect yourself by understanding the kinds of tricks they play.