Common Online Scams : How They Work

A fake profile builds an emotional relationship over weeks or months. Once trust is established, they introduce a financial crisis : a medical emergency, a stranded investment, a flight to finally meet. The money is never recovered.

Where : Tinder, Bumble, Facebook Dating, Instagram, WhatsApp

• Profile photos are suspiciously professional or model-like
• Never available for video calls, always has an excuse
• Claims to be abroad — military, oil rig, international business
• Moves very fast emotionally, talks about love within days
• First money request comes after weeks of contact

Also called "pig butchering." A contact, often romantic, introduces a "sure-thing" investment platform. Initial small withdrawals work perfectly. Then larger deposits vanish overnight when the platform disappears.

Where : WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, fake trading platforms

• Guaranteed returns with no risk mentioned
• Platform not registered with any financial authority
• Requires crypto deposits only, no traditional banking
• Withdrawals suddenly require an "unlock fee"
• Introduced by someone you met online recently

Cloned hotel or rental websites redirect travelers to convincing fake pages. The property looks real : photos, reviews, pricing. Payment is collected, then the booking doesn't exist on arrival.

Where : Google Ads, fake OTA listings, lookalike booking domains

• URL is slightly different from the official site
• Only accepts bank transfer or crypto
• Prices are suspiciously low
• No phone number or only WhatsApp contact available
• Confirmation email comes from a free email address

An email impersonating a CEO or supplier requests an urgent wire transfer to a new bank account. The sender's address is spoofed or nearly identical to the real one. Employees transfer thousands before realizing.

Where : Professional email, LinkedIn research → email attack

• Urgent request with pressure to act immediately
• Asks to bypass normal approval processes
• New bank account details not previously used
• Sender email has one character different from real address
• Request made when CEO is "traveling" or unavailable

A victim is manipulated into sharing intimate images, or receives an email claiming their device was hacked and intimate footage recorded. Payment, usually crypto, is demanded to prevent public release.

Where : Dating apps, Instagram, random emails, Snapchat

• Email claims to have your password (often a real old password from a breach)
• Threat to send footage to your contacts list
• Crypto payment demanded with a short deadline
• Profile disappears immediately after images are shared

A rental listing, often copied from a legitimate source, is posted at below-market price. The "landlord" is abroad and can't show the property. A deposit is requested to "secure" the apartment. The landlord vanishes.

Where : Facebook Marketplace, LeBonCoin, Craigslist, Rightmove

• Price significantly below market rate
• Landlord claims to be abroad and can't meet in person
• Keys will be sent after deposit is paid
• Listing photos appear on multiple platforms under different names
• Payment requested via wire transfer or gift cards

A too-good-to-be-true job offer arrives via LinkedIn or email. After an "interview" by chat, the offer is confirmed. The victim is then asked to pay for training materials, equipment, or a background check upfront.

Where : LinkedIn, Indeed, WhatsApp, email

• High salary for minimal qualifications
• Interview conducted entirely by text or chat
• Company name is real but the recruiter is not affiliated
• Asks for personal documents before any official contract
• Requests payment for "onboarding" or equipment

A fake email or SMS impersonates a bank, delivery service, or government agency. It links to a convincing clone of the real site. Login credentials or card details entered are captured instantly.

Where : Email, SMS, WhatsApp, QR codes in public spaces

• Urgent language : "Your account will be suspended"
• Link URL doesn't match the official domain
• Request to confirm payment card details "for security"
• SMS from a standard mobile number, not a short code
• Generic greeting : "Dear Customer" instead of your name

Not a scam — a silent threat. Hundreds of data broker sites aggregate and sell your personal information without your knowledge. Your address, phone, family members, and daily patterns are available to anyone for $2.

Where : Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, and 200+ similar sites

• You've moved recently but old addresses still appear online
• Strangers seem to know personal details about you
• You've been targeted by highly specific spam or harassment
• Your name appears on sites you never signed up for

A buyer or seller on a second-hand platform uses fake payment confirmations, overpayment tricks, or shipping fraud to steal money or goods. Increasingly sophisticated with fake escrow services.

Where : Vinted, LeBonCoin, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist

• Buyer overpays and asks you to refund the difference
• Payment "on hold" until tracking number is provided
• Seller insists on payment outside the platform
• Fake PayPal or bank confirmation screenshot provided
• Profile created recently with no transaction history

The oldest scam in digital history. A lawyer, banker, or dying millionaire contacts you about unclaimed funds. You're the beneficiary. But first — a series of fees, taxes, and legal costs must be paid to release the money.

Where : Email, WhatsApp, LinkedIn

• Large sum offered for no logical reason
• Urgency : the offer expires or the person is dying
• Each fee paid unlocks the next required fee
• Communication from personal email addresses, not corporate
• Request for secrecy : "don't tell anyone about this offer"

Someone creates a fake profile using your name, photos, and personal details to scam others, damage your reputation, or access your contacts. Often discovered only when victims reach out to the real person.

Where : Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, dating apps

• Friends report receiving messages from "you" asking for money
• Reverse image search of your photos returns unknown profiles
• New accounts appear with your name and profile picture
• Your content appears on platforms you don't use