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The internet has long been used by bad actors to perpetrate fraud and scams, so it’s unsurprising that many of the deceptive techniques perfected (and still used) by email-based scammers are now proliferating by other means. From fake Cash App payments to bogus giveaway offers to nonexistent prizes and special anniversary coupons, social media platforms are currently rife with scammy content.
One very common type of bogus post, known as a “survey scam,” promises (but rarely delivers) rewards for filling out an online survey. Such scams can be relatively harmless, but they can also be ruses for stealing your identity or your money, or downloading malware onto your computer. Another kind of post to beware of is “phishing scams,” which attempt to lure users into divulging personal information such as passwords, contact info, and even bank account details. The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers a page describing these and other kinds of scams users are likely to encounter online.
Generally speaking, it’s important for anyone who spends much time on the internet to be able to recognize when someone is out to scam you.
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