Tony Semadeni - My #1 Complaint – My Clients Don’t Protect Themselves from Fraud and Cyber Crime

1. My  #1  Complaint  –  My  Clients  Don’t  Protect   Themselves  from  Fraud  and  Cyber  Crime   Everyday  of  the  year  is  Christmas  for  the  criminal  in  today’s  cyber-­‐world.  With   technology  making  fraud  and  scams  look  more  legitimate,  it’s  upon  everyone’s   shoulders  to  protect  themselves  from  both  online  and  offline  business  offers.   Here’s  my  shortest  bullet-­‐point  list  of  things  to  know  in  order  for  you  to  be  proactive  in   protecting  not  only  your  financial  assets,  but  your  online  reputation  as  well.   Internet  Fraud   Scam  artists  in  the  U.S.  and  around  the  world  defraud  millions  of  people  each   year  by  using  the  Internet  to  trick  victims  into  sending  money  or  giving  out   personal  information.   Types  of  Internet  Fraud   Internet  crime  schemes  target  victims  using  various  methods.   Internet  auction  fraud  -­‐  This  scheme  involves  the  misrepresentation  of  a product  advertised  for  sale  on  an  Internet  auction  site  or  non-­‐delivery  of merchandise. Credit  card  fraud  -­‐  Through  the  unauthorized  use  of  a  credit/debit  card,  or card  number,  scammers  fraudulently  obtain  money  or  property. Investment  fraud  -­‐  This  is  an  offer  using  false  claims  to  solicit  investments or  loans,  or  providing  for  the  purchase,  use,  or  trade  of  forged  or counterfeit  securities. Nigerian  letter  or  "419"  fraud  -­‐  Named  for  the  violation  of  Section  419  of the  Nigerian  Criminal  Code,  it  combines  the  threat  of  impersonation  fraud with  a  variation  of  an  advance  fee  scheme  in  which  a  letter,  e-­‐mail,  or  fax is  received  by  the  victim. • • • • Tips  for  Avoiding  Internet  Fraud   Preventative  measures  will  assist  you  in  being  informed  prior  to  entering  into   transactions  over  the  Internet.   Know  your  seller  -­‐  If  you  don't  know  who  you're  buying  from  online,  do some  research. Protect  your  personal  information  -­‐  Don't  provide  it  in  response  to  an  e-­‐ mail,  a  pop-­‐up,  or  a  website  you've  linked  to  from  an  e-­‐mail  or  web  page. The  Federal  Bureau  of  Investigation  (FBI)  has  additional  tips  to  protect   yourself  and  your  family  from  the  various  types  of  Internet  fraud.   • •

2. Report  Internet  Fraud   If  you  believe  you've  been  a  victim  of  Internet  fraud  or  cyber  crime,  report  it:   You  can  report  a  cyber  scam  or  threat  by  filing  a  complaint  with  the Internet  Crime  Complaint  Center  (IC3). • Financial  Fraud   Scam  artists  use  different  types  of  fraud  to  try  to  trick  people  out  of  their  money.   Two  common  types  of  fraud  are  banking  scams  and  investment  scams.   Banking  Scams   Popular  banking  scams  include:   fake  check  scams,  where  a  scam  artist  creates  counterfeit  checks  that  look legitimate,  with  watermarks,  routing  numbers,  and  the  names  of  real financial  institutions.  They  then  try  to  deposit  them  in  banks,  use  them  as part  of  other  frauds  against  consumers,  or  use  them  to  pay  companies  for products  or  services. unsolicited  check  fraud,  where  a  scammer  may  send  you  a  check  that  you didn't  have  a  legitimate  reason  to  receive.  Unfortunately,  if  you  cash  it, you  may  be  authorizing  the  purchase  of  items  you  didn't  ask  for,  signing  up for  a  loan,  or  something  else  you  didn't  ask  for.  The  Federal  Trade Commission  offers  tips  to  help  you  avoid  being  a  victim  of  these  scams, and  recommends  what  to  do  if  you  have  been  a  victim. • • Investment  Scams   Investment  scams  prey  on  your  hope  to  earn  interest  or  a  return  on  investment   on  the  amount  of  money  that  you  invest.  The  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission  (SEC)  offers  overviews  of  many  common  investment  frauds,  and  tips   to  avoid  being  a  victim.   If  you  are  the  victim  of  an  investment  fraud,  you  can  file  a  complaint  with  the   SEC  or  with  your  state's  securities  administrator.   Charity  Scams   Not  all  organizations  that  claim  to  be  charities  or  help  people  are  reputable.   Some  scam  artists  set  up  fake  organizations,  taking  advantage  of  the  public’s  

3. generosity  immediately  after  a  tragedy  or  major  disaster.  Some  tips  to  help  you   detect  common  charity  scam  tactics:   •Check  out  the  charity  before  you  give  with  the  attorney  general  or   the  Better  Business  Bureau.   •Don’t  be  pressured  to  give  to  an  organization.   •Don’t  assume  that  you  can  get  a  tax  deduction  for  donating  to  an   organization.  Use  the  IRS’s  database  of  501(c)3  organizations  to  find  out  if     it  has  this  status.   •Verify  the  name.  Fake  charities  often  choose  names  that  are  similar  to  well   established  charities  or  use  keywords  that  elicit  sympathy,  such  as   “children”,  “cancer”,  or  “disaster  relief”.   •Don’t  send  cash.  Pay  with  a  check  or  credit  card.   If  you  suspect  charity  fraud,  report  it  to  the  Federal  Trade  Commission.  Although   the  Do  Not  Call  Registry  doesn’t  apply  to  charities,  you  can  ask  an  organization   not  to  contact  you  again.       About  the  Author:  Anthony  L  Semadeni  has  been  consulting  with  business   owners  over  the  past  decade,  helping  them  understand  the  complexities  of   business  marketing  and  brand  awareness  in  the  Internet  age.  Through  his   company,  Business  Checkup,  he  helps  protect  owner  and  business  brand   reputations.  For  more  information,  please  visit   www.onlinereputationmanagement.info  or  call  719-­‐309-­‐4499.  Tony  can  be  found   at:  www.tonysemadeni.com       Tagged:  Anthony  L  Semadeni,  Tony  Semadeni,  Financial  Fraud,  Charity  Scam,  Internet  Fraud,   Cyber  Crime  Complaints