Constant Vigilance Needed in Fight versus Computer Scammers

It happened all over the world. Computer Scammers are increasingly moving away from email and into social media to exercise their fraudulent activities. A Canadian consumer watchdog said this in a report several days ago.

With the growing popularity of such social media as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and You Tube, the increasing number of platforms was just adding to the avenues where fraud was occuring.

Interesting to read is Danielle Primrose's opinion. Danielle is president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Mainland British Columbia in Canada. Danielle states, "Emails still prevail, and I myself get them as well, but now with texting and smart phones and just the rapidity of social media platforms, Twitter, all of these new accounts are just opening up an absolute new form of scammers to get in there."

Example: By hooking to an app that promised the latest gossip, gullible users are directed to an online survey that puts an advertising commission into a spammer's coffers. Whether the content is non-existent or fake, in come cases a person may end up installing malicious software on a computer after clicking through to the video content, according to the report.

Other scams included "astro-turfing", the practice of posting fake online reviews to boost a business's profile, and "curbers", unlicensed car dealers who sell junk vehicles or others that may be stolen.

There were also phone telemarketers demanding money for fake services and mail lottery scams that targeted not only seniors.