The benefits of technology are immense. Sitting at home, you can pay your bills, buy groceries and items, and communicate with family and friends located in any corner of the world. This same technology that he uses to improve his life has also given online criminals an anonymous way to commit crimes without the victim’s knowledge. Yes it’s correct!

Just like you can access numerous sites, criminals can also access your computer and confidential data to perpetrate fraud. Some nations are hit harder than others, and Americans, unfortunately, due to their widespread use of technology, are often the victims of online fraud.

Here are the top five notions of online fraud conceived that primarily target Americans:

Phishing scam

This scam is perpetrated through social networking sites or emails, where cybercriminals communicate with you using authentic-looking messages. You may feel like your bank, social media site, or tax authorities have sent you a message. The purpose of this trick is for you to enter the login details of your bank account, social media profile, cloud storage, or any other online platform where you store your personal and confidential data.

The email you receive will look authentic and contain a clickable link. It will then take you to a legitimate looking website where you will be asked to enter your login details. The moment you do this, you cede control of that account to cybercriminals, who will hack into your account to withdraw all your money or sell your information to nefarious elements on the dark web. Just read Lee Child’s Make Me book!

Nigerian scam

The Nigerian scam was one of the first scams that cybercriminals launched on the internet, and it is still getting established. This scam begins with an emotional appeal email from a very wealthy family member, businessman, or high-ranking government official to help you gain access to astronomical amounts of money from a bank. The email will ask you to pay a small fee for some paperwork and handling of legal matters and promises you a large sum of money in return.

If you become greedy and fooled by this scam, you will be financially devastated. The request for money is ongoing and you will have to keep giving it to the scammers. You can even get some official-looking documents to convince you to part with more money. The result of all the variations of the Nigerian scams is the same; you’ll run out of money and won’t get a hundred from the ‘deal’.

Greeting card scam

You can receive a greeting card in the form of email. It will appear as if a friend or acquaintance sent it to you. If you click on the card in the email, malicious software will be downloaded onto your system. This software can cause multiple pop-up windows to open, or in worst case it could be ransomware that asks you to pay money to give it access to your system.

If your computer contains sensitive data, the criminal who controls the software can access this data and use it to their advantage. As a result, it could lead to identity theft, old account hacking, or access to your social media platforms to gain access to your personal and private data.

Credit card scam

In these tough times, many people have poor or low credit. Therefore, it can be difficult for them to get a bank offer for a credit card. Remember, if something is too good to be true, it probably is and therefore you should not be fooled by it.

If you think about it logically, why would a bank or credit card company offer you a credit card without having a clue of your financial situation? While many Americans have been weakened by this scam, there are still some who fall victim to it. As a result, they end up paying the mandatory processing fee, after which they never see the promised credit card or listen to the scammers.

Identity theft

According to the Federal Trade Commission or FTC, identity theft is rampant in the US, with a minimum of 490,000 people reporting this type of fraud. All it takes is for a cybercriminal to access your personal information or email to perpetrate identity theft.

Online fraud generally involves the theft of your banking information, social security number, or credit card details. The scammer will then use this information to make financial transactions or make purchases. And you will be responsible for them. Missouri has the highest identity theft complaints, according to the Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book. The second place is for Connecticut, followed by Florida in third place.

These are the top five online fraud schemes targeting Americans. It is vital that you take excellent online security measures, such as using VPN, to prevent yourself from becoming a target. Also, review your bank account and other financial statements carefully every month. Above all, never be separated from your financial details and social security number.