The Rise of Scammers’ Activities Everywhere
How you can fight against scams to protect yourself and your loved ones
4 min read
Feb 6, 2025
Why are scammers everywhere and why do people scam others? Every day, we are inundated with scary tales of those who fell victim to scams and fraud. I have a friend who works in a Fraud unit and according to her, people are calling in every minute of the day to report one fraudulent experience or another.
So much is going on out there, from online shopping scams, romance scams, phishing attacks, investment scams, tech support scams, social media scams, elderly scams, identity theft, business email compromise, travel scams, charity scams, government impersonation scams, the list is endless.
I was standing at a bus stop in front of a train station some days ago. A young man walked to me, looking unkempt like a beggar. I thought he was going to beg for money but I was wrong. He begged me to use my phone and call his sister. He said his sister was on the train coming to meet him and he needed to call her to know when she would arrive.
I said no to him and asked if he didn’t have a phone. He told me he left it at home and went around telling the same story to everyone at the bus stop. They all said no to him. Just then, a staff of the train station came outside to drop off the bin and the young man went to him and begged to use his phone. That was when something interesting happened.
The train station staff directed this guy to go into the station and talk to the people in the ticket office. He said that they would let him use their telephone to call his sister. But guess what? This guy just walked away as if he did not hear what the staff told him. Then I just wondered how someone who genuinely and desperately needed to call his sister would walk away when he was given the option of making his call from the ticket office.
Did this guy really have a sister on the train who needed to be called? Did he really forget his phone at home like he claimed when I asked him to use his own phone? If yes, why did he not take advantage of calling the sister freely from the ticket office when he was offered the opportunity? So many questions going through my mind as I watched him walk away.
The truth is that scammers are trying to get smarter by the day. They wake up in the morning to strategise on how to rip vulnerable people off their hard-earned money and valuables. They come in different shades with different stories and techniques. But their agenda is the same: to scam and defraud others.
How to protect yourself and your loved ones from scammers’ activities
Here is an overview of what you need to do to stay ahead of scammers since they are everywhere both online and in real life:
- Be sceptical and question everything especially when it looks dodgy.
- Protect your personal information and details by all means.
- Secure your devices.
- Be aware of the common scams.
- Take action when necessary.
I saw and heard about so many scams last year and I decided to do something about it. We want to create awareness to help you and your loved ones stay safe and protected from the rise of scammers’ activities.
Each week, we will send some information to your inbox. Such as
- Educational Articles: We break down different types of scams, how they work, and how to avoid them.
- Latest Scam Alerts: Stay up-to-date with real-time updates on new and emerging scams.
- Personal Stories: Read firsthand accounts from scam victims to understand the real impact and lessons learned.
- Expert Insights: Gain valuable advice from cybersecurity experts and law enforcement officials.
- Preventive Tips: Learn practical steps you can take to recognize and prevent scams.
(Have you or your loved one experienced scams and fraud? You can share in the comment section to help someone take precautions)
