“How to defend yourself against online scammers and make their heads spin”
I am sure you have already had some experience in strange activities online. This year has brought out even more of the worst characters online. All kinds of swindles are being perpetuated every day and vulnerable people are being burned financially because they are not recognizing the red flags.
I am an experienced internet user, being an early adopter back in the 1990’s and continuing to this day. I am a highly active Facebook and Instagram user. Those two platforms, due to their size have become the scammers favorite platforms to initiate their scams. And there are all kinds of them. I routinely suggest to people to google or Bing “internet scams” and do a little research of your own so you have some idea what to be on the lookout for. There are a couple of common threads that are easy to identify if you are paying attention.
I have personally encountered at least fifty or more attempts this year on my own personal accounts to cheat me in some fashion. The oldest variation is informing you that you have just won a prize. A major prize from Facebook or Instagram. I had an instance of this one this morning and I am going to provide the actual thread (some small edits have been made) so that you can get an idea of how hard these people will push you. Even when you tell them to get lost, report their id, they do not care. They will apply bullying and pressure trying to get you to crack. I initially play along and then you will see how stupid they can be. I mean, come on, what is the likelihood of the story being true?
At just under a million dollars in “prize money” yesterday and another million this morning I am having an exceptionally good week.
Just after lunch and I got a request from Joe Biden (the joe that has two followers). That one did not hang around long. Maybe because I said I had received an email from Joe the day before and thanked him again for it. When you follow someone, for example, I follow Joe because I admire him or like him, his posts will show up on your feed in Instagram, Facebook, and so on. If I click a like on his posts they will start to come by more frequently. People watch that and then a few minutes after you click like or shortly thereafter you might get a follow from someone claiming to be him with a different account name. That is how they “pick you up”.
But some people think it really is the celebrity and they engage and the next thing you know they are getting swindled by that person. Bad for the real celebrity because it harms their reputation. And of course, bad for the victim. I had one acquaintance tell me today that she was out $20,000. On a bitcoin scam in the past couple of days. On to the transcript, my comments are indicated by the asterisks. I hope you enjoy the banter.
7:08 AM
Instagrammer’s profile picture
My name is Sheryl from the Instagram head office, Nice meeting you.
*Nice to meet you Sheryl. What do you do at Instagram? That must be a cool job?
I am Chief Operating Officer of Facebook
We highly welcome you to Instagram. Ever just concluded annual final draws held on 2020 by Instagram group in cash promotion to encourage the usage of Instagram Your name was among the 15 lucky winners who won $$ and the New Iphone 11 pro each on the Instagram group promotion
Have any of our stuff informed you that you are one of our lucky winners
*Wow. This is so exciting. Great start to the day. I get to chat with the COO of FB!
I was told to contact you about your Instagram account by the CEO
*I need a new phone. Is it like a thousand bucks of gift certificates for Amazon? Black Friday is almost here.
*Who is the CEO of Instagram?
The CEO is Mark Zuckerberg
*I can’t believe Mark would do this for me. He must be one great guy.
*I thought he was the FB CEO. And that there was another CEO for Instagram.
Your Instagram Account was selected among the five-hundred(500)lucky winners that was selected randomly for the winnings.
Yes I own Facebook and Instagram
I mean Mark owns both
*You must own some too Sheryl?
*Is there a special website or form I need to submit to get my winnings?
*I just can’t thank you enough for this. I wasn’t sure how I would afford food the rest of the month. The lockdowns hurt my income.
The online draws was conducted by a random selection of emails which you were picked by an advance kkmd automated random computer search from Instagram , In other to claim your winnings worth of $950,000,00USD ,The lottery program which is a new innovation by Instagram which is aimed at saying a big thank you to all our users for making Instagram their number one means to connect, communicate, relate and hook up with their families and friends over the years.
*OMG. This is incredible.
The promotion was made to make all Instagram users benefit from the profit the company made while they use Instagram .This is a way Instagram is using to say a BIG THANK YOU to all our users for making Instagram their number 1 means of communicating with their friends, co-workers and loved ones.
*Sheryl, you would laugh at me right now. I’m excited like one of those people on the Price is Right. “Come on down!”
Firstly you are to choose one of the three listed payment option below and your
winnings shall be packaged in accordance to the option you choose:
Payment Options/Preferred mode of payment
1. Diplomatic Courier Delivery (CHEQUE DELIVERY)
2. Diplomatic Courier Delivery (ATM CARD DELIVERY)
3. Diplomatic Courier Cash (CASH)
*#1 is fine. A cheque is good. Do you send the phone too?
Yes
What is your phone carrier?
*Telus
You are to provide me some details about yourself, so that it can be forward to the Head Disbursement and FedEx delivery company for clarification of your winnings..
Full Name:
Delivery Home Address:
Mobile Number:
Email Address:
State:
Occupation.
And a picture of your identification card:
*I have to walk away. You don’t need all that information.
*And usually on money of that amount a series of documents are required. You can send the cheque to my lawyer.
Kindly send me the details now so that i can forward it to our Head office and the FedEx delivery service Right now okay.
*And any releases?
*No
You are the only person that can receive the package
You have to believe me
*That would not be the case at all.
*I don’t have to believe you
Don’t you want to receive this offer
*Sure. Legally. In Canada and the USA, when we transfer large amounts of money we do it through our legal departments corporately, or through our personal lawyer. For example if I make a deposit over 10,000 from a foreign country the bank has to report that.
Do you want your money to be transferred into your bank account
*No. I want you to send it to my lawyer
That are the picture of our winners (Produces some pictures of people with certificates).
You have to receive yourself
Don’t you know what you are saying
*Where is the website corresponding to your pictures?
*I know exactly what I’m saying.
Ok
*What do you believe I’m saying?
You are the lucky winners that have to receive your package delivered to your home address
When do you want to receive your package
*You dopes can’t even spell Sheryl’s last name right. What if I said that I am an acquaintance of Sheryl’s??
*Would you ignore that information?
You have to send me your home address full name and mobile number so it can be forward to the FedEx headquarter
??
*1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The guy there needs the cash
I told think you really want to have this
*Look. I really don’t need the money. If the money was real and perhaps I did some good work to earn it then I might feel differently
*But when it’s bullshit, who needs that?
I don’t think you also know that you own this (picture of a new ford suv)
*You are all so smart. You knew I needed an SUV to haul cardboard to recycling
Do you want this
*Are you sending that with FedEx?
Yes
When do you want to receive your package
*Tomorrow. Here is my lawyer (agent) details. (removed for security reasons)
We’re are you from
*Canada
What is the name of the name you are using?
*ManagersBox
*CEO, Richard Buchfink
Your home address
*To my lawyers address as I provided.
Why to your lawyer
It have to be delivered to you
Not your lawyer
*It does not have to be delivered to me.
Why do you think this is a joke
*If you don’t send it I am going to have my lawyer sue Instagram and Facebook.
*I don’t think it’s a joke.
*I think it’s something far worse
What is your bank name
*None of your business
*Who is the bank for Instagram?
10:02 AM
*Btw. I would never sue Facebook or Instagram. It was strictly to send a message that you are fucking around with their good name. We are going to hunt you down like the dogs that you are. (end of chat)
There it is. I have a couple of other saved threads. One of them used the same photos as this account so clearly, it is the same person or group behind these ids. Not unusual for them to target you with several ids in a row over a few days until they give up and move on.
If it sounds too good to be true, it is. If you find yourself in one of these situations end it as quickly as possible. You can report the profile. I would recommend doing that even if you are not positive. If its highly suspicious report it. Internet safety needs all of us to help. To protect our kids and ourselves from these predators. And it does not stop at fraud like this example. We must guard against personal assaults and other crimes, that begin online and extend into daily life. I have no doubt that this year, with the pandemic, the cybercrimes like this one have increased dramatically. I must admit that when I encounter these events, I do derive some modicum of entertainment value from the interactions. I have always said, be safe, have fun.
